2025 Pride Guide to Virginia’s biggest festivals & events

The 2025 Pride season is slated to sweep through Virginia in big ways, including intimate nights out, grandiose festivals, and passionate parades.

Like many states, Virginia is a mixed bag politically. There are pockets of red statewide, but its residents have also been coming out en masse to vote for Democratic representatives and presidential candidates. It’s safe to say that people across Virginia are opening up more and more, and it’s equally true that celebrating Pride is more important than ever. Visibility and vocalness are inherently political and powerful, and the 2025 Pride season will see Virginia celebrating in grand ways. 

Coming out can be hard when it feels like no one around you will understand what you’re going through, but that’s precisely what makes Pride so critical for the well-being of queer and trans folks of all ages and identities. Thankfully, there’s something for everyone in Virginia’s 2025 Pride events, ranging from traditional festivals to more intimate events that help you live life milestones like prom that you might not have been able to before. With that said, let’s explore nine fun options for all of your 2025 Pride planning.

1. Portsmouth Pride Pub Crawl

Address: 739A High St, Portsmouth, VA 23704

Date: May 31

Time: 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Fee: Free

Virginia’s 2025 Pride festivities include a variety of events, and folks aren’t waiting for June to start celebrating. The Portsmouth Pride Pub Crawl will take place on Sat., May 31, to help the local queer and trans community kick off Pride Month with glorious bites and brews. Making this event even sweeter is the fact that there’s no cover charge. That’s right: Admission to the event is free, though you are, of course, encouraged to support the small businesses on the pub crawl. More than 10 local pubs are participating in the event, with participants being able to complete a passport with stamps from each business along the way. 

2. Reston Pride Festival 2025

Address: 1609 Washington Plaza N, Reston, VA 20190

Date: June 1

Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Fee: Free

Continuing the 2025 Pride festivities is the Reston Pride Festival, which will light Lake Anne Plaza and the surrounding areas on Sun., June 1, this year. Additionally, the previous day will feature a community concert hosted by the Reston Pride organization, and both the concert and the festival are free for all attendees. The Reston Pride Festival is known for having sickening performances from local musicians and drag queens, and vendors will be set up to fulfill all of your browsing and purchasing desires. It’s going to be a good time, and if you ask us, there’s no better way to officially ring in Pride Month.

3. Portsmouth Pride Fest 2025

Address: 16 Crawford Cir, Portsmouth, VA 23704

Date: June 1

Time: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Fee: Free

If ever there were a location with the perfect name for Pride celebrations, it would be Portsmouth Festival Park. And true to its name, Portsmouth Pride Fest 2025 will be held there on Sun., June 1, and attendees will be in for six hours of nonstop fun. The attractions at this year’s festival include live entertainment in the form of musicians, dancers, and more; a “doggie play yard” where pets and pet parents can play and relax; loads of vendors to check out for wares made by LGBTQ+ folks and allies; plenty of food trucks to taste-test your way through; interactive experience that promise tantalizing fun; and much more.

One thing we particularly love about this event’s lineup is its inclusion of mental health resources for folks in need. Now more than ever, it’s important that we look after each other, and we’re glad to see Portsmouth Pride Fest prioritizing it.

A large gathering of folks from all different ages and backgrounds at the 2024 Portsmouth Pride Fest. (Community of Change, Inc.)

4. VA Pride Parade 2025

Address: TBA

Date: June 1

Time: 10 a.m.

Fee: Free

Richmond once had an illustrious Pride parade, but over the years, it fell by the wayside. That may not be the case much longer, however. Local resident and activist Mo Karnage is bringing the event back in 2025, with the VA Pride Parade set to kick off Pride Month for the local community in style. The exact start and end locations for the parade haven’t yet been disclosed, but if all goes according to plan, this may be the beginning of a resurfaced tradition that will help future generations of LGBTQ+ folks in the area feel comfortable in their skin.

5. Queer Prom at Wolf Hill’s Coffee

Address: 112 Court St NE, Abingdon, VA, United States, Virginia 24210

Date: June 14

Time: 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

Fee: Free

Many organizations are establishing Pride Month with parades from the get-go, but large festivals aren’t the only way to celebrate Pride 2025. On Sat., June 14, the Queer Prom at Wolf Hill’s Coffee will bring folks together for an evening of delicious drinks, sensational dancing, and oh-so lovely camaraderie. Even more lovely, mocktails are included in the festivities, so there will be drinks for everyone. The cherry on top? A photobooth to memorialize the beautiful smile on your face as you dance the night away.

6. 2025 Official Pride Bar Crawl

Address: 4 North 18th St, Richmond, VA 23223

Date: June 14

Time: 3 p.m.-11 p.m.

Fee: $22-$64

If you can’t make it to Portsmouth’s Pride Pub Crawl on May 31, you still have another chance to sip in style in your favorite rainbow attire. The 2025 Official Pride Bar Crawl is slated for Sat., June 14, and will see participants drinking and snacking their way through many of the city’s top bars and pubs. Many have already been announced, including Frozay RVA and Margarita’s Cantina, but more will be announced closer to the event. With your branded wristband for the event, you’ll get discounts at each participating location, and you can even purchase an upgraded ticket to cut the line at each bar and get your orders faster. We’ll cheers to that!

7. Hampton Roads’ PrideFest & Boat Parade weekend

Address: 113 Waterside Dr, Norfolk, VA 23510

Dates: June 20-22

Time: 7 p.m. (block party), 12 p.m. (PrideFest), 3 p.m. (757 Pride March)

Fee: Free-$375

On Fri., June 20, Hampton Roads Pride is hosting a block party where everyone can unwind, get to know each other a little better, and build community—all while dancing to good music, naturally. There will even be a special guest in the form of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” royalty Vanessa Vanjie Mateo. The block party costs $38 to attend. 

The next day, the 37th Annual PrideFest & Boat Parade will commence, offering endless fun thanks to live performances, incredible vendors, scrumptious food, and more. If you were an avid radio listener in the early 2010s, you’ll want to pay special attention to the performances, as Dev of “Bass Down Low” and “In the Dark” fame is set to hit the stage. The festival is free to attend.

Norfolk has amazing views of the Atlantic, and the free 757 Pride March on Sun., June 22, will allow you to soak them up while celebrating Pride 2025 with fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community. Participants will take the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Boardwalk by storm, marching hand in hand—whether literally or figuratively—as a display of love and unity. Overall, this is just a taste of what the weekend has in store for everyone, so definitely don’t sleep on this event. 

A drag queen wearing a purple tulle outfit and wig poses with a fan in the crowd at the annual PrideFest & Boat Parade. (Hampton Roads)

8. FXBG Pride March, Festival, and Afterparty

Address: 701 Sophia St, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Date: June 28

Time: 9:45 a.m.-11 p.m.

Fee: Free

On Sat., June 28, the FXBG Pride March, Festival and Afterparty will bring Riverfront Park to life like perhaps never before. Hosted by Fredericksburg PRIDE, the event is an all-day affair that’s going to be full of community. The event will start with the march, a moment to help everyone feel safe and connected, before opening up into a free-for-all day of glee thanks to live performances, attendees connecting with vendors, and more. Don’t forget about the after-party, either. The after-party is free as well, and you can imbibe while listening to a local DJ work their magic. If that doesn’t sound like an enchanting way to round out Pride 2025, we don’t know what will.

9. Black Pride RVA

Address: Various

Date: July 17-20

Time: X

Fee: Free-$$

Hosted by Us Giving Richmond Connections (UGRC), the 8th Annual Black Pride RVA will celebrate and uplift Black members of the LGBTQ+ community with a series of enriching events. For example, the schedule for this year’s festivities includes the Blacktopia Ball, the Day of Purpose Festival, and Pride in the Park. The events are set to take place at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia (122 W Leigh St, Richmond, VA 23220), the community hub Diversity Richmond (1407 Sherwood Ave, Richmond, VA 23220), and Godfrey’s RVA (308 E Grace St, Richmond, VA 23219), as well as a yet-to-be-announced location for Pride in the Park. Finally, certain events will be ticketed, but it doesn’t appear that prices have been revealed yet.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Related: 6 LGBTQ+ Virginia businesses to support this Pride Month