The annual Buffalo Pride Parade and Festival gathers the city's LBGTQ community in late May or early June. The week preceding the main celebration is packed with art, culture, education and entertainment events. The Parade starts on Sunday at noon at Buffalo State Campus, at Elmwood Avenue & Forest Avenue and goes down Elmwood. More than 100 organizations participate with their floats. The march ends at Elmwood Avenue & Allen Street. A vibrant celebration of LGBTQ community offers lots of free entertainment, performances, family activities, vendors offering food, beverages, and retail products.
Pride Parade is followed by Pride Festival by the waterfront in the neighbourhood of Canalside, within the inner harbour of Buffalo. The festival offers even more entertainment and live music and gathers about 15,000 participants every year.
Other events of Pride week in Buffalo include the Dyke March, Allen Street Festival, a Flag Raising Ceremony, Gay 5K run, Chroma (an art opening), and a beach day event.
The first gay and lesbian event in Buffalo was the 1988 Pride Unity Fest, organized under the theme "Power through Unity with Diversity." It included a Miss Buffalo Boat ride, a concert, the DYKETONES at the Tralfamadore Café, and a gay and lesbian film festival sponsored by HALLWALLS. The current parade and festival are organized by the Pride Center of Western New York.
