Orlando’s Come Out With Pride Festival is back, and it won’t be the same without you. Join the fun and support Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ community during the week-long celebration this October.
Updated Sept. 22, 2022
Few destinations are as diverse and inclusive as Orlando, where visitors from all over the world and all walks of life are welcome. It’s why we’ve earned a perfect score seven years in a row from the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, which measures the LGBTQ+ inclusiveness of cities’ laws, policies and services. We’ve also been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ tourism since the original GayDayS in 1991 with other high-profile events debuting in the decades since.
Discover: LGBTQ+ in Orlando
One of the best, our Come Out With Pride Festival, returns on Oct. 15, 2022, celebrating LGBTQ+ pride and support at downtown Orlando’s Lake Eola Park. Aligned with National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11) and October’s National Gay and Lesbian History Month, the festival is also partnered with more than a week of official related events from Oct. 9 – 16. Best of all, it’s fun for everyone regardless of age, gender identity, race, ability or sexual orientation — and you are invited.
Orlando’s Come Out With Pride Festival is produced by Come Out With Pride Inc., a volunteer-led organization that makes a positive impact in Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community through special events, grants and scholarship programs. Now in its 18th year, the festival welcomes everyone from Central Florida and beyond to come together for a beautiful, fun celebration of unity and acceptance.
This year’s theme is “A Place for Us” — reflecting the LGBTQ+ community’s united stance against the current challenging climate. Kicking off at noon and running till 9:30 p.m., the festival will have plenty of reasons to attend, including:
The Most Colorful Parade Presented by Winn-Dixie
Come Out With Pride Festival’s centerpiece is The Most Colorful Parade, featuring more than 100 groups strolling a 1-mile route through downtown Orlando. In 2022, it will be led by Grand Marshals Michael James Scott (American actor), Doug Baaser (posthumous grand marshal), Shea Culliff (community leader), and Will Larkins (student leader and activist), plus Debbie Simmons Award recipient Sister Ann Kendrick. It’s scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
Discover: Downtown Orlando
Live Entertainment
For the first time ever, Orlando’s Come Out With Pride Festival will feature three stages of entertainment, including musicians, DJs, dancing and much more. They include:
The Diva Stage: Hosted by the legendary Angelica Sanchez, this stage will showcase drag and diva performances from some of Orlando’s most popular LGBTQ+ establishments and groups. Expect performances from Southern Nights, Savoy Orlando, Creature Feature, Off the Record, Central Florida Ballroom, The House of San Miguel, the Les Vixens, an All-Gaga Ball starring Mr. Ms. Adrien, and RuPaul’s Drag Race headliners Lady Camden and Yvie Oddly.
The Dance Stage: Dance your heart out with high-energy DJs (including DJ Scott Robert, DJ T Don and headliner DJ Citizen Jane), club-style lighting, and tons of fun surprises and activations.
The Local Stage: Part of the festival’s new Hyper Local Zone, this stage will feature Orlando-based organizations, bands, musicians and other talents, such as Cesar de la Rosa and Push Love, Free Daps, Billy Mick, Winnie’s Rock Cauldron, and more.
The Grand Finale
This year’s grand finale will feature a performance starring Broadway's Michael James Scott (best known as the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin) and a special fireworks display over Lake Eola.
More Festival Features
Boasting something for everyone, the day-long celebration will offer a plethora of experiences, which will also include:
Pride Marketplace: Presented by Marriott Vacations Worldwide, over 200 vendors take over Robinson Street from end to end, showing their support for our community while showcasing their products and services.
Three Food Courts With 40+ Vendors: Enjoy everything Central Florida’s diverse culinary scene has to offer, from food trucks to local restaurant stalls and all your favorite festival foods.
Local Bars & Bartenders: Familiar faces from everyone’s favorite local bars will have their mixology skills on display.
Rainbow Ranch Family Zone: Presented by TD Bank and activated by the Central Florida Community Arts, this zone will feature arts and crafts, performances, and a reading by author Rob Sanders.
Youth Pride Zone (New!): Stay tuned for details about this fresh feature, presented by NBC Sports.
Sober Pride: Presented by Pineapple Healthcare, this area will have a mocktail bar, a photo booth van and some surprise experiences.
Optional Upgrades
Free to attend, the Come Out With Pride Festival also offers two specially ticketed upgrades:
VIP Experience: Relax, refresh and re-energize with incredible amenities such as dedicated bars and delicious food inside three air-conditioned VIP tents, luxury air-conditioned bathrooms, and premier bleacher viewing areas.
Chill Out Zone Presented by Funky Buddha: Enjoy relaxed outdoor seating, cooling fans and porta-potties in this fenced-in and shaded area. Tickets include one cocktail plus one Funky Buddha beer, as well as unlimited soda and water, comfortable seating, bars, bathrooms, and cool-off stations.
Featuring a range of activities, Come Out With Pride Festival’s schedule of official events runs from Oct. 9 – 16, 2022. You can also look forward to ancillary celebrations at numerous LGBTQ+ nightspots, including Savoy Orlando, The Hammered Lamb and Ace Cafe Orlando in the downtown area.
If you want to make a full week of it, book a room at the event’s official host hotel, AC Hotel by Marriott Orlando Downtown. But first, read on to learn about other Come Out With Pride festivities you won’t want to miss.
5th Annual Drag Race 5k (Oct. 9, 2022)
Come together with hundreds of runners from all over Central Florida for the Drag Race 5k. You will have the chance to sign up with your team to compete for prizes, enjoy an event podcast during the run, get moving with your friends, and support LGBTQ+ youth.
An Evening With the Orlando Gay Chorus Ensembles (Oct. 9, 2022)
Kick off Orlando’s Come Out With Pride week with the sweet serenade of the small group ensembles of the Orlando Gay Chorus (OGC). Hosted by Timucua Arts Foundation south of downtown Orlando, this concert will feature the four OGC ensembles: OUTLOUD!, Nothin’ But Treble, Spectrum and Ménage, with each bringing their own style and talents.
Meet the Filmmaker: Jeannette (Oct. 10, 2022)
Held at the Enzian Theater in Maitland, just north of Winter Park and downtown Orlando, this special Meet the Filmmaker event includes a screening of the documentary film Jeannette, which follows Pulse survivor Jeannette Feliciano in the aftermath of the tragedy. It will also feature an extended, in-person Q&A with Feliciano and Jeannette director Maris Curran.
Discover: Winter Park
LGBTQIA+ Survivor Vigil (Oct. 11, 2022)
This free event will start at 7 p.m. at City Hall in downtown Orlando.
Pride Showcase at Savoy Orlando (Oct. 12, 2022)
Hosted by Chantel Reshae, and starring Tia, Blue and Heather, the Pride Showcase will take place at popular LGBTQ+ venue Savoy, part of Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village Main Street.
Discover: Ivanhoe Village Main Street
Watermark Presents: Movies Out Loud (Oct. 13, 2022)
Starting at 7 p.m. at Savoy Orlando, this screening will feature movies relevant to the LGBTQ+ community.
We Shall Overcome: Celebrate LGBTQ+ Diversity (Oct. 13, 2022)
All are welcome to We Shall Overcome, which will honor LGBTQ+ people of color who have been trailblazers for human rights. Featuring dance, song, word and ASL, the evening will also include special guest stars and testimonials from community members, plus art displays from artists of color. It takes place at the Walt Disney Amphitheater at Lake Eola Park, and admission is free.
Phish Phest Reunion Party — Bringing Back the Lesbian Happy Hour (Oct. 14, 2022)
Head to The Hammered Lamb in Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village Main Street for this event, which runs from 5 – 8 p.m. with drink specials and DJs.
The Milky Way Bar + Bites Crawl — Pride Edition (Oct. 14, 2022)
Starting at Southern Craft at 6 p.m., The Milky Way Bar + Bites Crawl will include stops at more than a dozen bars and restaurants in Orlando’s Milk District.
Discover: Orlando Neighborhoods
Pride Shabbat (Oct. 14, 2022)
Led by Rabbi David Kay, this year’s Pride Shabbat services will take place at 1010 West in downtown Orlando’s Church Street District. Complimentary valet parking is available.
Come Out With Pride Official Kick-Off Party (Oct. 14, 2022)
Sponsored by Tito’s Vodka, Come Out With Pride Festival’s official kick-off will be hosted by Savoy Orlando.
Rainbow House ‘Come Out With Pride, Orlando’ Official Saturday Night Event (Oct. 15, 2022)
After the Come Out With Pride Festival’s fireworks finale, keep the celebration going at downtown’s Ace Cafe Orlando with the Rainbow House Official Saturday Night Event.
Official Pride Recovery Brunch (Oct. 16, 2022)
From 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., enjoy some of the best bloody Marys in Orlando and a bounty of brunch bites at The Hammered Lamb in Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village Main Street.
Uncut Cabaret (Oct. 16, 2022)
Join in the fun and frivolity of Orlando Gay Chorus’ 14th annual Uncut Cabaret, this year with a Hallo-weenie twist. It’s guaranteed to be an adults-only, naughty, rip-roaring night of fun and games at the Renaissance Theatre in Orlando’s North Orange district near downtown.
Happiness Tea Dance (Oct. 16, 2022)
Featuring music by MORABITO and James Anthony, this event will kick off at 3:30 p.m. at The Veranda in downtown Orlando’s Thornton Park neighborhood.
Use this interactive map to track down all the Come Out With Pride events featured in this blog. (Click here if you found us via Google and don’t see a map or images.)
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