Rochester Pride Parade & Festival

Rochester Pride goes back to a gay-in held in Genesee Valley Park in May 1971, and for decades it was a park picnic. Today it's a one-day parade and festival on a Saturday in July, and Trillium Health and ESL Federal Credit Union are its presenting sponsors.

The parade is free. It starts at 11am at South Avenue and Science Parkway and heads north to Highland Avenue and the Purple Crosswalk. The festival runs 11am to 6pm in the south end of Highland Park. In 2026 admission was $5 cash at the gate, and a $50 VIP lounge had its own bar and better toilets. Bring cash: phone reception is poor, and the gates and drink tents are largely cash-only, though there are ATMs on site.

The 2026 edition on 18 July was cut short by severe weather, and organizers offered refunds. In 2025, WHAM estimated about 20,000 people, and more than 200 groups marched. The 2027 date hadn't been announced when we checked, but it's usually the third Saturday in July.