RICHMOND, Va. — The annual Virginia Pridefest returns on Sept. 27 to Midtown Green with the theme “Live Out Loud” and a full slate of performances.
The festival, presented by OutRVA, is Richmond’s largest celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to performers, over 240 vendors have signed up, according to James Millner, director of Virginia Pride.
Thousands are estimated to attend Pridefest and other events that are part of the inaugural Pride Week, which runs Sept. 20-28. Some events include roller skating, karaoke and movie night.
The national entertainers who will perform include club icon Kevin Aviance, “Rupaul’s Drag Race” star Aja, pop artist Mila Jam and headliner Saucy Santana, known for his viral hits, “Material Girl” and “Walk ‘Em Like a Dog.”
Darrian Hewlett plans to attend the event and said he is drawn by the entertainment and also the fashion. He has been involved in RVA Fashion Week for several years.
“I am excited to see Saucy Santana perform,” Hewlett said. “I’m excited to hang around and honestly I’m also looking forward to seeing the fashion, our creative colorful community.
Chris Mason is excited for the community aspect of the event.
“Yeah, I do enjoy some of the acts, but that’s not really what I go for,” Mason said. “It’s just hanging out with my friends, and being in this, what feels like a safe space.”
Pride is about inclusivity, and the event is organized to be accessible for many people.
“Pride celebrations historically, I think, have always been about inclusion, about celebrating diversity and this beautiful tapestry of people from all walks of life, all sexual orientations, gender identities, however people choose to go through the world,” Millner said.
Pridefest will provide seating compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act for the main stage and will also have live interpreters at both stages. Reserved handicap parking is available, according to organizers.
Organizers partnered with the local recovery nonprofit McShin Foundation to host a Sober Space. The Sober Space will feature a craft mocktail bar and other non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, games and shaded seating.
Age-appropriate entertainment is also a focus for the festival, including musical and theater acts, dance lessons and special youth-themed drag performances.
“We have really invested in a youth pride experience for LGBTQ youth, their friends, their families and their allies,” Millner said.
This year there will be an Allianz Youth Pride Pavillion. The organizations Side by Side and He, She, Ze and We, in collaboration with the Science Museum of Virginia and the Children’s Museum of Richmond, will help host the programs and activities.
The Virginia Pride Committee is also aware of heightened concerns around security, and have taken measures that align with the environment.
“Safety and security is our top priority across the board,” Millner said.
There will be secure bag checks and weapons detectors at every entrance, as well as uniformed law enforcement both inside and outside the venue and perimeter, according to Millner. Additionally, there will be community-centered emergency medical services and privately hired security.
Organizers are also focused on striking a balance between safety and community care.
“We are also cognizant of the fact that we do not want Pridefest to have so much security that it feels oppressive,”Millner said. “We also acknowledge that there are many in our community who have complicated feelings and relationships around law enforcement.”
With the current opposition experienced by the LGBTQ+ community, the “Live Out Loud” theme especially resonates this year.
“I think that events like [Pridefest] are really important to send a message that we refuse to be erased and that we refuse to be pushed back into the shadows where those people wish that we would stay,” Millner said.
Virginia lawmakers introduced 17 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the 2025 legislative session, according to the ACLU. Overall, the ACLU legislative tracker indicates over 600 such bills were introduced across the U.S. The Virginia measures included forced outing, sports bans, health care funding restrictions and more.
Hewlett said the community cannot get weary now.
“If we give in to the foolishness, they’ll win. And I mean, the people who will oppress freedom,” Hewlett said. “We’re going to keep going.”
Mason agreed that Pridefest allows people to celebrate.
“We need to show people that we’re not backing down, and we’re not going to stop being ourselves,” Mason said. “We’re not going to stop celebrating who we are.”
Pridefest runs from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday at Midtown Green, site of the old Commanders training center. While there is currently rain forecast during the event, the festival is planned rain or shine. The closing party takes place at River City Roll on Sunday, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Communication. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia.
