In 2023, the annual Portland Pride Waterfront and Parade will be held the weekend of July 15-16. The Portland Pride Parade will be held on Sunday, July 16th. Changes to the availability of Waterfront Park have created a long-sought opportunity to make significant changes to the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade. 

At various times over the years, Pride Northwest has looked at moving the dates of the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade for a number of reasons, including ongoing overlaps with other significant cultural events (Juneteenth, the Delta Park Pow Wow, etc.). Portland is an incredibly busy event city in the spring and summer and moving hasn’t been a viable option because there were no available alternative dates for the Waterfront. On top of that, there are no other venues in Portland that are large enough or possess the necessary infrastructure to house an event the size and scale of the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival nor allow for a large parade like the Portland Pride Parade. It has definitely been frustrating for us, as well as for many in our community. 

Pride Northwest’ Executive Director Debra Porta says, “We have often been placed in a position of being seen as "competing" with other community celebrations and, although we work on the backend
to build relationships and support diverse identities within the LGBTQIA2S+ community, at the end of the day, none of us really have the opportunity to support each other's celebrations in truly meaningful ways, or proactively build toward an environment that empowers LGBTQIA2S+ people to express themselves without the perception that they are being asked to choose between the various parts of themselves.” Newly-elected Pride Northwest Board President Robert Turvey added, "We look forward to continuing to build and strengthen relationships and to creating environments in which LGBTQIA2S+ people can celebrate the fullness of their identities."

In the coming days, additional details will be shared on the Portland Pride website (www.portlandpride.org) including 2023 registration dates and processes. Please email Debra Porta at debra.porta@pridenw.org with any questions.