Ames Pride

Ames Pride is the nonprofit organization behind LGBTQ+ community life in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 2017, it organizes Ames Pridefest — the city's marquee LGBTQ+ event — held each fall (typically October) in downtown Ames so that Iowa State University students and staff can take part. The festival features vendor booths, live entertainment, drag performances, and family-friendly programming. Beyond Pridefest, Ames Pride serves as a year-round point of contact and advocacy hub for the local queer community; it does not operate a fixed storefront, but its events center on downtown Ames and the Ames Public Library.