June is Pride Month, y’all, and there's more than one celebration happening in the area. With events throughout the week, Northern Kentucky Pride is set for June 10, following an afternoon parade through Covington.
Cincinnati Pride may be larger in attendance, but it’s important to our neighbors across the river to host an event in their own community. Bonnie Meyer, co-chair of the NKY Pride organization spoke on this with CityBeat's Mackenzie Manley at last year’s event. “We have a different government, we have different elected officials and different challenges than the folks that live in Ohio,” she said. “In Kentucky, we only have eight cities in our entire commonwealth that have fairness ordinances.”
A year later, there are nine counties with fairness ordinances in the Commonwealth aka anti-discrimination laws for LGBTQ+ individuals — Paducah joined the ranks this year.
This year's NKY Pride operates with the motto “Y’all means all,” a theme that reverberates throughout the weekend and the events leading up to the parade and festival on Sunday. The festivities officially kicked off this past weekend with local NKY businesses showing some love with a patio party at Lil's Bagels on Friday and another at the Crazy Fox Saloon on Saturday. Here’s all the details about the rest of the events at NKY Pride this week.
MONDAY, JUNE 4
School’s Out! LGBTQ Youth Party –– This one’s especially for all the under-21 peeps out there. Hang out on the patio at Lil’s Bagels for a youth mixer and resource fair. Grab a snack, tie-dye a T-shirt and decorate a sign in preparation for the Pride parade and festival. There’s extra reason for the kids, tweens, teens and young adults to celebrate this year: NKY’s LGBTQA youth get to serve as grand marshals for the parade. The future is bright! 6- 9 p.m. Monday. Free admission. Lil’s Bagels, 308 Greenup St., Covington, nkypride.org.
THURSDAY, JUNE 7
Pride Pop Up Shop at the Pike Street Stroll –– Take a stroll down Pike Street between Scott and Holman streets while perusing local shops, art galleries and restaurants. Let live music soundtrack the moment via the tunes of Moonshine & Wine, MayaLou and a Uke, Andyman Hopkins and The Kissimmee Kids. This month, the Renaissance Covington will set up a Pride Pop Up Shop selling T-shirts, hats, cocktail glasses and shades so you can stock up on some sweet swag before the parade and festival on Sunday. 5-8 p.m. Thursday. Free admission to Pike Street Stroll. Renaissance Covington, 2 W. Pike St., Covington, nkypride.org.
Interfaith Pride Service –– Folks of all walks of life are invited to come together at Trinity Episcopal Church for an interfaith service to celebrate diversity in all its shapes and forms. 7 p.m. Thursday. Free. Trinity Episcopal Church, 326 Madison Ave., Covington, nkypride.org.
FRIDAY, JUNE 8
NKY Pride Night with the Cincinnati Reds –– Group tickets with NKY Pride are sold out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t head to the ballpark for Pride Night to watch the Reds take on the St. Louis Cardinals. Get there early for a pre-game ceremony to honor the recipient of the LGBTQ Community Award presented by TriHealth, and stick around afterward for the postgame fireworks to end the night with a literal bang. 7:10 p.m. Friday. $12- $280. Great American Ball Park, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown, nkypride.com.
SATURDAY, JUNE 9
Pride Night at the Cincinnati Observatory –– Celebrate under the stars (and planets!) with the Cincinnati Observatory for their Pride Night in conjunction with NKY Pride festivities. The event will happen rain or shine for tours of the observatory and telescope viewing, but keep your fingers crossed for clear skies to catch a glimpse of the giant planet Jupiter. 9-11 p.m. Saturday. $5 donation suggested to support Northern Kentucky Fairness’ youth outreach work. Cincinnati Observatory, 3489 Observatory Place, Mount Lookout, nkypride.org.
SUNDAY, JUNE 10
Parade — Sunday is the day! The NKY Pride Parade will take off from Covington Landing, then make its way down Madison Avenue before turning left on Seventh Street to pause in front of the judges’ table at Braxton Brewing Co. From there, it’s on to Goebel Park to PrideFest. Don your Sunday best and prepare to cheer on the floats and marchers as they pass by. 1-2 p.m. Sunday. Free. Covington Landing, 1 Madison Ave., Covington, nkypride.org.
NKY PrideFest — Follow the parade to Goebel Park and join in the festivities all afternoon long. Have your face painted, goof off at the photo booth, and watch live music, poetry and performances. There will be plenty of vendors doling out food and drinks to keep you fueled in the June heat. Bring the little ones too, and hang out at the Family and Kidzone presented by the Kenton County Library. 2- 5 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Goebel Park, 501 Philadelphia St., Covington, nkypride.org.
Pride After Party –– The festival may wind down, but the fun’s not over yet. Make your way over to Hotel Covington for an after party and drag show in the courtyard featuring local queen Sarah Jessica Darker. 6- 8 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Hotel Covington, 638 Madison Ave., Covington, nkypride.org.