GAY global news

5 awesome US Pride festivals to put in your diary early

Written by gaytourism

The NYC Pride March | Photo: Hunter Abrams, courtesy of NYC Pride

Sponsored: Brace yourselves: Pride season is barely three months away.

The unofficial pride month in the US is June, in recognition of the Stonewall Riots. The Riots – in response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a queer bar in New York City on 29 June 1969 – were a turning point in the history of sexual equality.

As such many major cities holding their LGBTI festivities across June – many on the same weekend. Which means now is the perfect time to decide between them…and get your travel plans sorted!

Here are five such extravaganzas for your diary, taking place in blockbuster US destinations all accessible from Heathrow Airport near London, the largest in Europe.

Head to the Go-Heathrow search portal to hunt for the best flight deals to your destination of choice.

Photo: Courtesy of LA Pride

1 LA Pride – Parade day: Saturday 10 June

The largest city in California hosts one of the most popular Prides in the country. With most of the action taking place in the gayborhood of West Hollywood (WeHo), LA Pride is yet to announce its headliners. But past performers include the Boy Is Mine singer Brandy and Confident singer Demi Lovato, who filmed the video for Really Don’t Care at LA Pride in 2013.

The annual LA Pride Parade will take place on Sunday 10 June while the LA Pride Festival will take place on Saturday 9 June and Sunday 10 June in the City of West Hollywood. Tickets for the LA Pride Festival will be on sale soon.

Heathrow Airport has over 50 flights a week to LA. For more information, visit the Go-Heathrow search portal by clicking here.

Photo credit: Florida Keys News Bureau

2 Key West Pride – Parade day: Saturday 10 June

A three-and-a-half-hour drive from Miami is the fabulous, tropical island city of Florida Keys. It’s one of America’s LGBTI-friendliest cities, not least because seminal gay writer Tennessee Williams used to live here.

Pride provides the perfect opportunity to explore the rest of the Keys destinations, such as Islamorada. They’re all easily accessible via the Overseas Highway, a 113-mile mostly-bridged road connecting each island like a threading needle.

Heathrow Airport has 33 flights a week to Miami. For more information, visit the Go-Heathrow search portal by clicking here.

Instagram/gopride

The largest city in Illinois, Chicago celebrates the whole of June as Pride Month, with over 100 parties, screenings, meetings and events to explore.

Orange is the New Black star Lea DeLaria was last year’s Pride Parade Grand Marshal.

Heathrow Airport has 48 flights a week to Chicago. For more information, visit the Go-Heathrow search portal by clicking here.

Instagram/nashvillepridefestival

4 Nashville Pride – Parade day: Saturday 23 June

The capital of Tennessee is also the music capital of America. As such, performers in recent years have included En Vogue and the openly bisexual Vanessa Carlton. As well as the Main Stage entertainment, be sure to check out the Equality Walk and the Drag Stage.

In time for Pride, British Airways is launching a new, non-stop route. It will fly five times a week from Heathrow Airport in London to Nashville. It will be the first direct route to the city from Europe!

The new route from Heathrow Airport to Nashville launches in May. For more information, visit the Go-Heathrow search portal by clicking here.

Instagram/nycpride

5 NYC Pride – Parade day: Sunday 24 June

This year’s theme for one of America’s biggest LGBTI fests is ‘defiantly different’. And it’s a description that could be used for the star performer at NYC Pride’s Pride Island party, too. Australian starlet Kylie Minogue will take to the stage on Sunday 24 June.

The Wow singer has conquered the world since blasting onto the music scene in the late 80s. However, mainstream success in America has mostly evaded her. That said, the gay icon has a small but dedicated fanbase in the states. Thus, she is a fabulous, curveball inclusion on this year’s lineup.

Heathrow Airport has over 150 flights a week to New York (JFK and Newark). For more information, visit the Go-Heathrow search portal by clicking here.

Kylie Minogue will play NYC Pride’s Pride Island this June

With over 35 bars, restaurants and cafes, including the new Gordon Ramsay Plane Food outlet due to arrive in Terminal 5 this summer, and dozens of designers stores, Heathrow is the perfect place to start your holiday or business trip. To book your trip, visit go.heathrow.com

Heathrow Airport is a partner of Gay Star News.

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