Pride Worcester

SAVE THE DATE! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Kick off Pride Month with us at this year’s Pride Flag Raising Ceremony in Worcester. 📅June 1, 2026 ⏰5:00 PM 📍YWCA Central Massachusetts #Pride2026 #WorcesterPride #LGBTQIA #Community #PrideFlagRaising

ONCE UPON A TIME… ✨👑 …you stepped into the spotlight. The 2026 Pride Worcester Pageant is officially casting — and this is your invitation to bring your story to life through creativity, performance, and unapologetic pride. We’re looking for bold, passionate, and talented members of the LGBTQ+ community ready to take the stage and represent Worcester with heart. 💫 Must be 18+ 💫 Worcester County resident All contestants receive a $200 stipend + coaching from industry professionals — and the chance to take home cash prizes and major titles. 🗓️ Pageant: Saturday, August 15, 2026 ⏳ Apply by Friday, June 12 Step into your era. Your story deserves a stage. Apply now at the link in our bio or go to: prideworcester.org/pageant

SAVE THE DATE: Pride Worcester is back. 🌈 Join us *Saturday, September 12,* in Downtown Worcester for a day of joy, visibility, and community at the 2026 Pride Worcester Festival!  Pride has always been both a celebration and a protest. And right now, that dual purpose couldn’t be more real. As LGBTQ+ rights continue to face challenges across the country, showing up — loudly, visibly, and together — matters. As much as this festival means to us, Pride in Worcester is so much more than a single day. Throughout September, there will be *dozens* of events, experiences, and opportunities to connect across the city.  We can’t wait to see Worcester showing up loud and proud all month long. We’ll be right there with you.  We also want to acknowledge that Rosh Hashanah falls September 11–13 this year. We understand this means the festival date impacts members of our Jewish community. We hear you, and we’ve reached out to community leaders in an effort to support communication and inclusion across the city’s Pride celebrations. As it relates to the festival, we know you may still have questions. We’ll be sharing a bit more context around our festival planning and decision-making later this week, so please keep an eye out if you’d like to know more. Thank you for your support.  This event does not happen without community. Our team is small but this celebration is big, and we need your help to make it happen… Beyond saving the date, here’s how to get involved: 
💝 Sign up to volunteer 🛍️ Apply to be a vendor 🎤 Apply to perform 🗓️ Submit your own Pride events to our online events calendar
 You can do all of the above NOW at prideworcester.org. We’ll also share more details on our 2026 sponsorship opportunities very soon — stay tuned. Let’s show up for each other. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ 📸 @sarichardsmedia , from the 2023 Pride Worcester Festival

Good food. Cold drinks. Thousands of people. 🍦🌈🍴 Our food and beverage vendors are a big part of what makes the Pride Worcester Festival feel joyful, welcoming, and celebratory from start to finish. If you’ve got something delicious to serve, we’d love to have you be part of it! From quick bites and sweet treats to full meals, coffee, cocktails, mocktails, and more… this is a crowd that comes ready to eat, drink, and support local. Vendor application deadline: Friday, July 31 Apply now at the link in our bio. 📸 @glow.slay.play , from the 2023 Pride Worcester Festival #PrideWorcester #WorcesterMA #FoodTruck #FoodVendor #SupportLocal FestivalFood LGBTQIA

1️⃣ month left to apply to compete in the 2026 Pride Worcester Pageant on Saturday, August 15! 👑 The theme is: ONCE UPON A TIME…✨ Bring your story to life through creativity, performance, and unapologetic pride. All contestants receive a $200 stipend + coaching from industry professionals — and the chance to take home cash prizes and major titles. 🏆💰💅 🔗 Get all the details and apply by Friday, June 12, at the link in our bio or go to: prideworcester.org/pageant Step into your era. Your story deserves a stage. 📸 @andreduranphoto , from the 2025 Pride Worcester Pageant

Happy Mother’s Day! 🌈 📸 @sarichardsmedia

It’s National Small Business Week. 🌈 This week, we want to celebrate some of the incredible queer-owned businesses that help make Worcester more vibrant, creative, and unique. 💖 We’ll go first… Can we please tell you how much we love, @ilahjewelry ? 💍 Founded in 2006 by designer and goldsmith Ilah Cibis, iLAH Jewelry has grown from a small studio into a nationally recognized Worcester business. The shop has even been named one of the Coolest Jewelry Stores in America by INSTORE Magazine. Ilah’s work has also been featured in publications including Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Tatler UK. Beyond the accolades, what we love most is the artistry, care, and authenticity behind the brand. From custom pieces to a commitment to using 100% recycled metals, iLAH Jewelry reflects the kind of creativity and passion that strengthens our community. Now it’s your turn ⬇️ Tag your favorite queer-owned Worcester business in the comments and share why you love them. Let’s show some local businesses some love this week. 💕 📸 @andreduranphoto , from the 2024 Pride Worcester Festival

It takes a community to make Pride happen — and we can’t do it alone. 🌈 Pride Worcester is powered by people who care deeply about showing up. And while many people think first of the annual festival in September, that’s just one part of the work we do. From the pageant… to year-round events… to partnerships, advocacy, and community-building, what Pride Worcester does often spans months, and in some cases, years of care and planning. This is the kind of work that’s often behind the scenes. Sometimes challenging. Not always glamorous. But it is meaningful. It does matter. And it’s one of the most real ways to support and celebrate LGBTQIA+ life in Worcester. The truth? A small but dedicated group has been carrying a lot for a long time. If we want Pride in Worcester to keep growing, evolving, and showing up the way this community deserves, we know we need more hands. More voices. More people willing to step in — and step up. So we’re asking: Is that you? If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, this is your moment. Raise your hand. Bring your energy, your ideas, your perspective. There’s a place for you here. Sign up to volunteer + be part of making Pride happen. Visit the link in our bio or go to: prideworcester.org/volunteer Please share with someone who should be in this with us. 💖 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ 📸 @methelettere , featuring volunteers from a past Pride Worcester Festival #PrideWorcester #VolunteerWithPride #GetInvolved #LGBTQIA #WorcesterMA

Handmade, one-of-a-kind, can’t-find-it-anywhere-else — that’s the vibe. 🛍️✨ Thousands of people come out for the Pride Worcester Festival, and our vendor market is a huge part of what makes the day feel alive, vibrant, and full of discovery. If you’re an artist, maker, or small business owner with something special to share… we want you there. 🗓️ Saturday, September 12 📍 Downtown Worcester Vendor application deadline: Friday, July 31 Apply now at the link in our bio. 📸 @andreduranphoto , from the 2024 Pride Worcester Festival #PrideWorcester #WorcesterMA #ShopLocal #MakersGonnaMake #VendorCall LGBTQIA

📣 Pride Worcester Pageant News dropping in 5… 4… 3… 2… 👀👀👀 📸 @andreduranphoto , from the 2025 Pride Worcester Pageant featuring: Host @victoriaobvious , Second Majesty @emanidior , First Majesty @neznez99 , Third Majesty @sierahleone , and cohost Lamar Brown-Noguera

Calling all vendors and community partners! Applications are now open to vend at the 2026 Pride Worcester Festival on Saturday, September 12, in Downtown Worcester. We’re looking for affirming, supportive, and reliable vendors who are excited to be part of celebrating Pride in Worcester. Whether you’re an artist or maker, a food truck owner, a non-profit or community organization, we look forward to welcoming you to this year’s Pride Worcester Festival. Vendor application deadline: Friday, July 31 Learn more and apply to become a 2026 festival vendor today at the link in our bio. 📸 @andreduranphoto , from the 2024 Pride Worcester Festival #PrideWorcester #WorcesterMA #LGBTQIA #VendorCall #CommunityFirst PrideFestival2026

This is your chance to perform at the 2026 Pride Worcester Festival in Downtown Worcester — performer applications are officially open! ⭐️🌈🎤 Our community has a lot of diverse talent that we’d love to celebrate. Priority will be given to performers and speakers from Worcester County. The lineup will showcase a diversity of performance types that uplift the spirit of Pride. ⏰ Performer application deadline: Saturday, July 18 Link in bio to learn more or apply. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ 📸 @sarichardsmedia , from the 2023 Pride Worcester Festival