From drag brunches and live comedy to vendor markets and bingo games, downtown Pittsburgh businesses hosted more than a dozen events to empower our community and attract visitors during June’s celebration of Pride Month.
80K
estimated attendees at 2024 Pittsburgh Pride
8
shows featured in Arcade Comedy Theater's Pride series
51
years since Pittsburgh's first Pride event was celebrated in downtown
Pride Month officially kicked off nationwide on June 1, and downtown businesses celebrated with special programs supporting the “Still We Ride” Pride March, organized by TransYOUniting, QBurgh, Proud Haven, and Trans Pride PGH. Originating along Liberty Avenue, the 2024 parade welcomed an estimated 80,000 marchers, and after the march, First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden addressed the crowd in the Allegheny Commons Park.
Throughout June, downtown establishments joined Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ community in celebrating strength and diversity with exciting performances, community events featuring local makers and artists, and delicious food and drink specials.
Vibrant Performances
Boat bashes, all-night dance parties, and rooftop soirees throughout downtown kicked off Pride Month. Debuting just in time for Pride Month, The Burgh Bus partnered with the event production company S&S Productions to host the Pride Ride Drag Show, Pittsburgh's only mobile drag show. Riders on The Burgh Bus enjoyed performances that mash up glamour and today’s hottest hits moving through downtown at the speed of pride.
Arcade Comedy Theater joins in on Pittsburgh’s Pride festivities each year, and this time, it featured a slate of comedy performances from improv to stand-up and more presented by LGBTQIA+ performers from the region.
At the experimental performing arts venue in the Cultural District, comedian Asher O’Briant presented the stand-up semi-autobiographical performance “One Man, No Woman Show.” Improv duo Alex Conti and Raina Deerwater hosted “Fondue By Your Two,” a Pride variety show with improvisation, stand-up comedy, and musical performances.
Additionally, comedy fans enjoyed Andy Warhol: Night at the Factory, a celebration of one of Pittsburgh’s most famous queer artists, followed by Bootleg Reboots, a Warhol-themed improv show.
With the live readings from classic “Will and Grace” episodes, Arcade Comedy Theater is paying it forward after Pride month ends, too. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales from the readings will benefit the Arcade Diversity Scholarship, which provides funding for underrepresented voices in comedy to learn, practice and perform comedy.
Community Events
Following a vibrant Pride Variety Show brunch event, Hotel Monaco hosted a Pride Market open to the public and featured LGBTQIA+-owned businesses and creatives from throughout Pittsburgh. In addition to directly supporting artisans at the market, variety show ticketholders can take pride in knowing that a portion of proceeds support the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, a public health organization for Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ community.
Over on Liberty Avenue, the August Wilson Center hosted its second annual Pride and Joy Community Day, which celebrates Pittsburgh’s Black LGBTQIA+ community. As part of its AW Community Days, the museum and cultural center opened to all with music performances, art exhibitions, workshops and activities. In the evening, a ticketed Pride and Joy event featured additional music and entertainment from a selection of performers as well as a DJ-hosted afterparty.
Bites, Beverages, and Brunches
The popular downtown dining destination Market Square featured several events focused on celebrating Pride packed with flavor and fun. For extraterrestrial-minded revelers, Space Bar hosted Drag Queens in Outer Space, an out-of-this-world themed bingo game with local drag artists.
In addition to the scheduled events at Pittsburgh’s downtown businesses, Hotel Monaco also added Pride-themed cocktails to both its rooftop Biergarten and American tavern The Commoner for the month of June, donating a portion of proceeds to a local LGBTQIA+ charity organization.
The Pride of Pittsburgh
These events honored Pittsburgh’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ community and created opportunities for local LGBTQIA+ performers, artisans and business owners to raise awareness and funds for their work and charitable causes all while supporting the economic development of downtown Pittsburgh.
In Pittsburgh, pride doesn’t end when June does. Throughout the year, the Three Rivers Business Alliance works to expand opportunities, access and resources for LGBTQIA+-owned businesses in the greater Pittsburgh region. Its Small Business Pride initiative maintains a directory of businesses in the region and offers education, marketing, legal and HR resources for member organizations.
