A Guide to 2025 Pride by Local Expert, The Midwestern Lesbian

Thinking about celebrating Pride month in the Cincy Region? Festivals, dance parties, parades and more - there a lot of things going on this June. I (The Midwestern Lesbian!), am here to guide you to some of the best local 2025 Pride events in the Cincy Region. 

As a professional LGBTQ+ event coordinator, I'm here to help you find exactly what you're looking for. For additional info, be sure to follow @Cincy.Gay.Agenda on Instagram for a weekly LGBTQ+ calendar that's updated and available all year long.

Northern Kentucky Pride Festival and Parade - June 1

The annual Northern Kentucky Pride Festival celebrates the local LGBTQIA+ community through fostering inclusivity and love. The parade goes throughout Covington, hitting key areas like Hotel Covington and Braxton Brewery and winding through Mainstrasse Village, down Pike Street and Main Street. The festival, in Mainstrasse Village, includes drag performances, live DJ's, local vendors, drinks, food and more. Then, head on over to Hotel Covington for the official after party - for more drag, drinks and great atmosphere. 

Inclusive Pride Flag Raising at Cincinnati City Hall - June 2 at 11:30 a.m.

Join Cincinnati Pride and the City of Cincinnati when the Inclusive Pride Flag is raised at City Hall. There will be a handful of invited speakers and an LGBTQ+ owned food truck onsite. 

Pride Brady Block Party at ICON Festival Stage at Smale Riverfront Park - June 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Kick off Pride Month in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's third annual Pride Block Party! This FREE outdoor event is open to the public and all are welcome. Enjoy local exhibitors and giveaways, food trucks, activities and entertainment prior to a concert with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, featuring MUSE Cincinnati's Women's Choir, and RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 runner up, Sapphira Cristal! Last year's Pride Block Party drew thousands to the ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, located adjacent to the Andrew J Brady Music Center. 

Pride Night at the Cincinnati Reds with Cincinnati Pride - June 6 at 7:15 p.m.

Cincinnati Pride returns to Great American Ball Park for their annual Pride Night game, featuring an exclusive Reds Pride hat with your ticket to the June 6 game (vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks). Pride Night is sponsored by To Be Me, the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation's youth-focused Be Present Ohio project, a new campaign that promotes mental health awareness and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth. 

Pride in OTR Weekend - June 6 - 8

Pride in OTR weekend, formerly known as Second Sunday on Main, strategically unites last year's events from 3 Sundays throughout the summer, to one long weekend of celebration, June 6 - 8! With events spanning the entire weekend, including an open mic night with Quills & Queers, a street fair on Main Street, a kickoff party with Midwestern Lesbian, and a drag brunch at Rhinegeist with Queen City Charities, your weekend will be FULL!

Queer Karaoke with Midwestern Lesbian at Tokyo Kitty - June 12 at 7 p.m.

Join Midwestern Lesbian at Tokyo Kitty for Queer Karaoke! Come celebrate Pride with karaoke, drinks from Deep Eddy Vodka, photo booth by Cincy Photo Booth, and performances by Fifi LeFay and Vanta Black. 

Scream Queen: Horror Never Looked So Fabulous at Northwood Cider Co. - June 13 at 7 p.m.

Friday the 13th is happening during Pride month, and the fabulous Miss PH Dee is coming to the Northwood Cider Company taproom once again! This time, with a spooky spin on her thrilling performance. Bring your singles and be ready for a party! 

A Queer Talent Show with Midwestern Lesbian at Oddfellow's Liquor Bar - June 13 at 7 p.m.

Join us for an unforgettable night of queer creativity, talent and community! Midwestern Lesbian is hosting a Queer Talent Show at Oddfellow's Liquor Bar on Friday, June 13, and we want YOU on stage! This is a low-pressure high-support space for queer folks to show off, get silly, or try something new. All experience levels welcome. 

Pride Night at the Cincinnati Observatory - June 14 - 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

Join astronomer Dr. Wes Ryle at the Cincinnati Observatory to learn about the science of rainbows. All guests will leave with more knowledge of the LGBTQ community in Cincinnati and with some special pride goodies. The evening will also include solar viewing, weather permitting. Tickets are required. 

Melanin Magic, Cincinnati's Only All Black Drag & Burlesque Show - June 19

Recognized by Cincinnati City Hall in 2024, Melanin Magic is Cincinnati's only all-Black drag and burlesque revue. Melanin Magic has been bringing all-Black entertainment to Cincinnati for the past 3 years, and has raised hundreds for different charities across the region. Melanin Magic is produced by Vanta Black, Manuka Honey Stix Chimera, and has recently been joined by Indica Blows. Their next show will be with Roxy Von Teddy, Nyshyne and Sylver Star, on Juneteenth. 

* More details TBD

SOLAR: A Sober Pre-Pride Day Disco at Tillie's Lounge - Jun 21 - 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

SOLAR is your sober, sparkle-filled, sun-soaked day disco, designed to light up your Pride Month with beats and zero booze. Tillie will be serving up her new Mocktail Menu and other N/A alternatives. 

Sapphic Sips by Midwestern Lesbian at Rhinegeist Brewery Rooftop - June 21 - 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Join us on Rhinegeist's rooftop for Midwestern Lesbian's June Sapphic Sips! This is an event for the Cincinnati Sapphic Community to come together, mingle, have some drinks and enjoy the community. What does "sapphic" mean? An umbrella term for women and gender non-conforming individuals, who are attracted to women. It's a broader term than "lesbian" and encompasses individuals who may identify as lesbian, bisexual, pansexual or other queer orientations, as well as trans, non-binary, and cisgender women. 

Cincinnati Magazine's Pride Party at Court Street Plaza - June 17 - 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

What better way to kick off Pride weekend in Cincinnati than at the Cincinnati Magazine annual Pride Party? Members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community are coming together for a celebratory cocktail party on Court Street Plaza. Featuring drag performances by PH Dee, Fifi Lefay and Kiara Chimera, a small business market, and followed by a dance party at Queen City Exchange with Midwestern Lesbian! 

Cincinnati Pride Festival and Parade at Sawyer Point & Yeatman's Cove/downtown Cincinnati - June 28

Finish out Pride month at the annual blowout party, Cincinnati Pride parade and festival. The parade steps off at 11 a.m. and winds its way through downtown Cincinnati, eventually ending at the festival location of Sawyer Point & Yeatman's Cove. The festival is a family-friendly, fun event including food, drinks, vendors and a full lineup of entertainers - including headliner, bounce music legend, Big Freedia.