The annual Rochester Pride Festival begins in July, with 14 days of different events for members of the LGBTQ community. Although 2020 and 2021 did not feature the traditional parade and festival due to concerns over COVID-19, this year will offer all of the above. Sponsored by Trillium Health, Pride 2022 events begin July 2 and end July 30.
Below is a full list of activities and events for Rochester Pride. As always, some events are subject to change.
Saturday July 2
Fleeting Pride Day at the Beach: From 1 to 5 p.m. at Ontario Beach Park at 50 Beach Ave., attendees can take part in arts and crafts activities, a community fair, music and entertainment, and table and lawn games.
Wednesday July 6
Rochester Summer Pride Comedy and Storytelling Show: Held at Comedy at the Carlson, located at 50 Carlson Rd. in the city of Rochester, this event, which begins at 7:30 p.m., is in its third year and is presented by the group Queer AF Comedy. General admission is $20 per person and only for those age 21 or older. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to the Rochester ImageOut LGBT Film Festival.
Thursday July 7
Pride Celebration Day: Hosted by the Memorial Art Gallery from 5:00-9:00 p.m., this event features free museum entry, a unicorn photo shoot, a drag queen story, and more, like workshops from local dance company Frazee Feet Dance.
A Pride Flag Raising Ceremony is also taking place at noon at the County Office Building at 39 W Main St.
Friday July 8
Rochester City Pride Flag Raising Ceremony: Beginning at 5 p.m. in Martin Luther King Jr. Park at 353 Court St., visitors can watch city officials raise the Pride Flag.
Saturday July 9
Pride Power Vinyasa Yoga: Held at Cobb’s Hill Park from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., this course will take place outdoors and is open to everyone. Participants are encouraged to wear rainbows to support the LGBTQ community. Donations of $15, $25, $50, or $100 are accepted, with all proceeds going to the non-profit MOCHA Center, which focuses on improving the health and well-being of LGBTQ people in color.
Pride Day: Held at the CRISP Rochester Restaurant at 819 S. Clinton Ave., the party, which begins at 11:30 a.m., will feature drink specials, a costume contest, giveaways and karaoke throughout the day.
Fleeting Pride Day at Seabreeze: From noon to 4 p.m. at 4600 Culver Road, attendees can enjoy Seabreeze attractions and meet different members of the Rochester community and the Rochester LGBTQ+ Together social group. Group tickets must be purchased through Rochester LGBTQ+ Together and include access to the reserved grove, an all-you-can-eat picnic, and a day pass for the ride and slide.
Roc’n Rainbow Concert: Starting at 7:30 p.m. at the School of the Arts at 45 Prince St., guests can hear the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus sing along as they celebrate the band’s legacy and future in the community. Tickets are available now by clicking on the concert on visitrochester.com.
Sunday July 10
2022 Pride Ride: Interested in a bike ride? The Rochester Rainbow Riders event gives people of all ages the chance to take part in a bike ride through Genesee Valley Park. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 1:00 p.m., participants will take a leisurely walk through the park. According to the event listings, the event is chargeable with a suggested figure of $10. The event is restricted to 18+ and is a pre-registration only event according to the organizers.
Pride Picnic: The 50th anniversary of a community picnic is also taking place at Genesee Valley Park. From noon until 6 p.m., guests can enjoy music, food, games, and more. Tickets are $5 per person.
tuesday july 12
Pride Rave Cycle Class: Hosted by the Vault Rochester Fitness Center, 10 Franklin St., guests can take part in a cycling class, which begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 6:15 p.m. For more information, call Vault Rochester at 585-730-7824.
The good, the bad and the funny: Attendees can catch a comedy show at Equal Grounds Coffee at 750 South Ave. starting at 7 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. For more information, contact Equal Grounds at 585-256-2362.
LGBTQ Historical Walking Tour: The Landmark Society of Western NY and LGBTQ historical organization Shoulders to Stand On will be hosting a tour of various historic sites around the greater Rochester area related to LGBTQ history. Departure times and locations have yet to be announced.
Wednesday July 13
Pride Night at Frontier Field: Guests can catch a baseball game beginning at 7:05 p.m. at Frontier Field. The first 500 guests will receive a free t-shirt. A fireworks display sponsored by Ellenwood Electric will close the night after the game.
Thursday July 14
Love wins cycle class: Hosted by the Vault Rochester Fitness Center at 10 Franklin Street, guests can take part in a cycling class, which begins at 5:30 p.m. and lasts until 6:15 p.m. For more information, call Vault Rochester at 585-730-7824.
ImageOut Pride Movie: The Little Theater will host a series of films organized by the ImageOut Film Festival. For more information, such as start times or ticket prices, visit the organization’s website at imageout.org or contact the Little Theater at 585-258-0400.
Pride Paint & Sip: BlakeRyan at Eastview Mall will host a special event with local artist Ryan Tamer. From 7 p.m. until 9 p.m., guests can paint and drink if they wish. Open to all ages, with tickets available online from $35 for advance tickets up to $45 on the day of the event.
Flour City Hockey Club Pride Game: The improvised hockey club will organize a 90-minute recreational game offered to LGBTQ players, allies, friends and family. Held at the Paul Louis Arena at 1 Boys Club Place, the game begins at 8 p.m. and continues until 9:30 p.m. Tickets for players are $30 and include a commemorative hockey jersey. Net proceeds from the game will go to Trillium Health.
friday july 15
Roc Pride Party Juice Box: Are you interested in dancing? Roc Photo City Improv will be hosting a special dance event for Pride Festival. The event will also commemorate the first anniversary of Juice Box, the organizing group of the event. Tickets are $10 per person and the event will run from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to For the Gworls, a local self-help collective. Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 must be presented.
Saturday July 16
Roc Pride Parade: The festival is back after two years of absence. The parade will begin at the intersection of Alexander Street and Park Avenue, and end at Park Avenue and Brunswick Street. The festival will begin at 1 p.m. and lead directly into Pride Fest.
Roc Pride Day: Held at Cobb’s Hill Park at 1 p.m. immediately following the Roc Pride Parade, attendees can enjoy food, live music, entertainment, beer, games and more. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $50 for VIP tickets. The event ends at 8 p.m.
Sole Rehab Pride Party: Held at Photo City Improv, Sole Rehab will give attendees a chance to dance and enjoy the music of electronic bands. For more information, visit the band’s Instagram page at solerehabroc.
Sunday July 17
Drag me to brunch: The Hyatt Regency at 25 E. Main St. offers brunch with drag performers starting at 10:30 a.m. The event runs until 2 p.m., with tickets available now for $60.
Bad Apple Party: The Hungerford Building’s Seed + Stone cider house is hosting its monthly Bad Apple Party on July 17 with an LGBTQ focus. Cider and mead will be available to guests along with soft drinks and treats from Happy Gut Sanctuary. Pizza slices from Peels on Wheels Pizza will also be available along with music and outdoor games. The event runs from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Pride Ice Cream Party: The Village Ice Cream Shop in Spencerport will host an ice cream social starting at 2 p.m. and ending at 5 p.m. For more information, contact the store at 585-617-4526.
Saturday July 23 – Sunday July 24
Rochester Queer Handmade Art Sale: Visitors can purchase handmade items by LGBTQ artists at 30 Shaftsbury Rd., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days.
Friday July 29 – Sunday July 31
Rochester’s Black Pride: As of this writing, no details have yet been released for this cultural and arts festival run by Black LGBTQ people. For new information, visit the Facebook page of the group Rochester’s Black Pride.
Saturday July 30
Pilates in the park: Led by Michelle Pritchard, owner of Evolution Pilates studio, guests can take part in an outdoor pilates class at Cobb’s Hill Park, near the pond. The class starts at 10 a.m. and lasts one hour. Tickets are $25 per person, and all proceeds will go to the nonprofit LGBT+ Giving Circle.
For more information on Roc Pride 2022, visit the Trillium Health website at https://www.trilliumhealth.org/patient-and-community-services/pride-2022 .
