Downtown streets will host music, family events and national drag talent
Ann Arbor’s long-running Pride celebration returns to downtown on Saturday, Aug. 1, running from noon to 9 p.m.. Presented by the Jim Toy Community Center, the 31st annual festival will stretch along West Liberty from South Ashley to State and along South Main from East Huron to East William.
Organizers say this year’s event will include three stages of live entertainment, more than 200 vendors, food trucks, a Kids Zone and family-friendly programming until 6 p.m. Hydration stations and restrooms will be available throughout the footprint, and several city parking structures near the festival are being promoted for visitors.
- When: Saturday, Aug. 1, noon–9 p.m. (family programming until 6 p.m.)
- Where: West Liberty (South Ashley to State) and South Main (East Huron to East William)
- Features: 3 stages, 200+ vendors, food trucks, Kids Zone, drag story hour
Event organizers posted on Facebook that this year will be their “
most significant & impressive celebration yet!” The festival’s headliners include drag performer Latrice Royale — known to many from RuPaul’s Drag Race — and her husband, Christopher Hamblin. Other scheduled drag performers named by organizers include Erika Norell, Natalie Cole, ShaeShae LaReese and Terri Vanessa Coleman. Actress Dominique Jackson, noted for her role on the FX series Pose, is listed as a special guest.
Attendance at Ann Arbor Pride has grown in recent years. According to the festival’s website, last year’s event drew more than 20,000 visitors and featured more than 200 vendors; in 2024, organizers reported between 10,000 and 15,000 attendees. The festival began as OUTFest in 1995 and has since become a centerpiece celebration of LGBTQ+ identities, community and allyship in Ann Arbor.
Visitors should plan for street closures and heavier-than-normal downtown traffic. The city’s parking structures near the festival footprint remain the recommended option for those driving in. Organizers have not yet published a full vendor list for 2026 but have confirmed that family-run downtown businesses, including Swedish candy store Sweet Hop, are expected to have a presence.
What residents and families should know
The festival will maintain family-friendly activities until 6 p.m., including a Kids Zone and a drag story hour. After 6 p.m., programming and performances may be geared more toward adult audiences. Attendees are advised to use the hydration stations and restrooms provided around the festival grounds.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Aug. 1 |
| Time | 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. (family programming until 6 p.m.) |
| Footprint | West Liberty (South Ashley to State); South Main (East Huron to East William) |
| Expected vendors | 200+ (vendor list pending) |
The festival is free to attend. For residents planning to come downtown, organizers recommend arriving early, using public transit or city parking structures, and checking the Jim Toy Community Center and Ann Arbor Pride social channels for any late updates, vendor announcements and stage schedules.
As the city prepares for another sizable downtown gathering, the Pride festival will again highlight both local businesses and national performers while offering family-oriented activities and public resources across a broad downtown footprint.
