‘Acceptance and love.’ Crowds flock to another banner year for Tri-Cities Pride

Bright costumes, live performances, and colorful displays filled Memorial Park on June 14, as community members gathered for the 2026 Tri-Cities Pride Festival, a daylong celebration focused on visibility, support, and connection within the LGBTQ+ community.

Hosted by Tri-Cities Pride, the free annual event featured more than vendors, community organizations and exhibitors, continuing a growth trend organizers say has expanded significantly in recent years.

Temperatures climbed into the mid-90s throughout the afternoon as attendees moved between bustling vendor booths, performance stages and community displays. Cold bottled water, frozen drinks and shaved ice treats proved popular as visitors sought relief from the heat.

The festival also had carnival games, bounce houses, face painting, live music, drag performances, food vendors and a beer garden.

A’isha Martin, president of Tri-Cities Pride, said the festival continues to serve an important role in helping people discover community and support.

“I think seeing how many other community members there are is important,” Martin said. “When they come to this event, and it’s grown every year, then they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I have community, and I’m not so alone,’ because that’s what it did for me as well.”

Martin said vendor participation has increased from about 40 vendors several years ago to more than 130 this year.

Throughout the afternoon, local entertainers took the stage while attendees gathered in shaded areas of the park to watch performances and visit with friends.

Miss Rohla of Kennewick, who served as mistress of ceremonies for the festival’s drag show, said the event provided an opportunity for performers to support the community through their art.

“Being able to host these ladies on the stage today was my honor,” Miss Rohla said. “It’s always great to come out and support our community and shine a light on the diversity of what we stand for.”

The festival’s drag program featured two performances by nine entertainers from communities throughout Eastern Washington, including the Tri-Cities, Yakima, and Spokane areas.

“We use our art and our performances to bring a message of acceptance and love and belonging,” she said. “In a world that struggles sometimes to be accepting and kind, this is a chance to put on our dresses and makeup and our sparkles, and use that to help everyone know that they belong and they are safe and they are loved.”

Gay pride representation ‘humanizes people’

For Kelly Aragon of Atomic Aerialists, another performance group appearing at the festival, visibility remains one of the event’s most important contributions.

“These are your neighbors, these are your community members, these are your co-workers, your colleagues, your students, your friends,” Aragon said. “By having all of these people here participating in things like performance art, public outreach, sharing a meal together and listening to music together, it humanizes people.”

Many attendees said the festival offered an opportunity to connect with others who shared similar experiences.

Madi Keane and Lennon Jackson, incoming sophomores at Delta High School, attended their first Pride festival together.

“I’ve wanted to come before,” Jackson said. “Finally, being able to attend Pride is just more than everything, because it’s like a place that I’m loved all the time.”

Keane said being surrounded by others who understood similar experiences made the event especially meaningful.

“It means a lot to me to be around so many people who, although we come from different backgrounds, all share this one same thing,” she said. “I’m really happy to be here.”

Many also attended as allies and supporters.

Mike Stipe and Margaret Gianotti, both of Kennewick, said they came to support LGBTQ+ community members and encourage acceptance.

“People have the right to love who they want to love,” Stipe said. “They have the right to be who they want to be.”

Near one entrance to the festival, a small group of protesters from Lexington Reformed Baptist Church in Lexington, Ore., held signs and spoke with attendees throughout the day.

Pastor Eric Schonbachler said the group attends the festival annually to share its religious beliefs regarding homosexuality and Christianity.

While some conversations reflected differing viewpoints, interactions between protesters and festival attendees remained peaceful.

Martin said events like Pride help people discover supportive businesses, organizations and community resources while building relationships that often extend beyond a single day.

“People need to know that they’re not alone,” Martin said. “They’re out there. You just have to seek it out and go for it. If you’re willing to reach just a little, we can come together and support each other.”

-Scott Hunt is a local photojournalist and writer who contributes regularly to the Tri-City Herald.