DENVER — Ready to sashay away any stress this summer? Then you’ll want to be at PrideFest this year as Denver celebrates 50 years of pride – and the party will match the occasion.
The Center on Colfax has announced its lineup of drag and music performers for this year’s festivities celebrating LGBTQ+ culture over the course of two days and as previous years have proven – the Center goes all out to bring out the best LGBTQ+ entertainers from across the country.
After drawing in more than 550,000 people last year – making it the largest Pride event in the Rocky Mountain Region – organizers of this year’s Denver PrideFest have something up their wigs to delight Pride goers, including not one, not two, not three, but four drag performers, three of whom have made a name for themselves on RuPaul’s “Drag Race” over the course of the years.
First we have Alyssa Edwards, who was a highly skilled dance instructor and accomplished figure in the drag pageantry scene before her big break on season 5 of RuPaul’s “Drag Race” where his candid testimonials, iconic tongue-pops, and distinctive personality made him a fan favorite. Who remembers her performance during the lip-sync battle of Rihanna’s “Shut Up and Drive”?
Shea Couleé not only won Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars and finished as a finalist in the show’s season 7, but their consistent use of the art of drag and costuming as a medium for larger storytelling even got an applause from Vogue itself. They call their drag a “love letter to Black women.” Do you guys remember her runway performance?
Drag isn’t just a statement on gender roles for entertainment purposes, it can transform to be a larger conversation about other social issues, like environmentalism, something Pattie Gonia is very passionate about. Through their work, Pattie Gonia wants to Make Nature Gay Again. Their work has earned her several accodales, including Outside Magazine’s Person of the Year, National Geographic Traveler of the Year and most recently, Time Magazine named Pattie a Next Gen Leader 2023. Of note, their work has also led them to co-found The Outdoorist Oath, an organization to get more BIPOC/LGBTQ+ people more involved in environmentally friendly activities/causes.
Lastly, Mirage – hailed as the "Legs of Las Vegas” – steals the show wherever she goes, captivating audiences worldwide with her electrifying performances and signature heel clacking. After her exit from the most recent season of RPDR, Mirage has made a name for herself not just in the drag scene, but also a queen of the dance floor with her viral hit “She’s such a B---h.” Who knows where Mirage will go next!
The Center Stage Lineup isn’t the only fun that’s happening this year. No, no, no. Denver PrideFest will also feature two additional entertainment stages: The Absolut Dance World Stage, and the Latin Stage brought to you by US Bank.
The party doesn’t stop there.
The Denver PRIDE 5K, presented by Smartwool, will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 24, while the Coors Light Denver Pride Parade will kick off a day later, at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. The whole party, however, is taking place over the span of two days – Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23.
The annual PrideFest helps raise money for The Center, which supports organizations and programs for LGBTQ+ youth, seniors, the transgender community, legal and training programs.
The event typically brings nearly half a million people to Civic Center Park over the two days – the largest Pride celebration in the Rocky Mountains.
Denver7 is a proud and official sponsor of Denver PrideFest.
