The Tacoma Pride Festival is this weekend. Here’s what to know

TACOMA – The Tacoma Pride Festival at Wright Park this weekend starts with a bike parade.

Ride to Pride bikers will meet at noon Saturday at South Eighth Street and South Pine Street, then travel to Wright Park.

The family-friendly 2-mile Rainbow route has minimal hills and streets that are not busy, according to a Facebook post from Tacoma Mobility.

The Rainbow Center partners with Parks Tacoma for the annual pride festival, which goes from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

“This year we are celebrating each other through honoring our value and diversity as a unique community,” Troy Christensen, president of the Rainbow Center Board, told the News Tribune in an email on July 8.

Tacoma Pride is free and open to people of all ages.

There will be live music, more than 168 LGBTQIA2+ vendors, various food trucks, a sensory lounge, and a cider and beer garden for people 21 and older at the park, Christensen said.

Entertainment includes performances from Daysoul Exquisite, Sirens of Sound, AGAB Band and Trashasaurus Rex Band throughout the day on the park’s main stage, Christensen said. The community stage will showcase a comedy set, Cheer Tacoma performances, and more.

The festival will not cause street closures or traffic interruptions, Christensen said.

Nearby paid parking in the area is limited, so Christensen recommends that attendees walk, carpool or use ride-sharing services.

Public transportation is another option, according to the City of Tacoma’s website. Available bus routes for the festival are 1, 11, 16 and the T-Line. There’s a $2 fare for adults. People 18 years old or younger ride free, the website states.

An annual award ceremony Friday will highlight people and businesses that have served Pierce County’s LGBTQIA2+ community, particularly in Tacoma.

The pride awards will take place at 4:30 p.m. at the Pantages Theater, according to the City of Tacoma.

The event is open to the public and will conclude at 6 p.m.