Charlotte Pride, one of the region’s largest LGBTQ+ events, announced its headliners for Saturday, August 17 – Baby Tate, Bob the Drag Queen, and Slayyyter.
Headliners
Charlotte Pride announced three headliners for the festival on Saturday, Aug. 17. Taking the main stage are Baby Tate, Bob the Drag Queen, and Slayyyter. Expect awesome dance moves, laughs, and potentially new music.
“Their incredible talent, unique artistry, and commitment to LGBTQ+ visibility will be the perfect capstone of our August celebration,” said Meredith Thompson, Managing Director of Charlotte Pride.
Parade and Festival
While the parade route has not yet been announced, you can expect Tryon Street to be packed with vendors, at least three stages for performers, a kid zone, food trucks, and more. Pro tip: get ready to collect so much free swag.
Applications for the street market are now open for local vendors.
During the festival, you can cheer on your favorite local drag performers. If you want to perform, applications for the 2024 Charlotte Pride Drag Pageant are live now. New this year, the pageant combined titled contests, opening to all performers, regardless of gender.
Admission
Charlotte Pride has always been free to attend and enjoy. The organization offers a VIP experience, featuring a VIP lounge with beer, wine, special activities, and more.
- Super early bird pricing (ends Wednesday, May 1): $134
- Early bird pricing: $164
- Saturday + Sunday: $199
VIP tickets are on sale now.
If you plan to walk in the parade with your business, organization, church, etc., you must apply.
Charlotte Pride Week
The Charlotte Pride Parade and Festival are just a portion of the week-long festivities. Charlotte Pride Week features events across the city, highlighting community, film, and culture. It runs Friday, Aug. 9 – Friday, Aug. 16. A list of events is TBA.
Volunteers needed
Every year, the organization needs volunteers and expects 2024’s turnout to be the biggest yet. Be on the lookout for those applications.
History
Charlotte’s first Pride Week was held in 1981. Nearly 4,000 people marched as the Queen City hosted NC Pride in 1994. The event featured vendors, workshops, and more.
Charlotte Pride was officially founded in 2000 and hosted its first annual Pride Festival in 2001 in Marshall Park. The event, known as Pride Charlotte, continued to grow, drawing 10,000 visitors by 2010.
The group reintroduced the parade in 2013, when thousands of marchers, friends, and allies cheered and danced at Independence Square at the corners of Trade and Tryon streets. A year later, the event drew 100,000 people to the city.
In 2023, Charlotte Pride saw record numbers:
- 260,000 festival weekend attendees
- 200+ parade contingents
- 10,000+ marchers in the parade
- $15.8 million in total economic impact
