Seattle Proves the Pacific Northwest Has So Much Pride

Seattle Pride is famous for a reason. It doesn’t just offer a world-class Parade and a festival; Seattle Pride consists of an array of exciting events throughout the month of June! Alongside your fellow LGBT people and allies, it’s the perfect opportunity to show off your pride in how far we’ve come—and to focus our energies on the fights to come.

The celebration has something for everyone. Show off your lesbian Pride with the Dyke March the night of June 23, celebrate diversity in neighboring SnoHomish County with SnoHomo Pride, and—if you’re in the mood for some culture—check out Gerrard Conley’s talk on his memoir, Boy Erased. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Russel Crowe and Nicole Kidman, the book—which delves into the life of a gay teen given the choice between conversation therapy or exile—has been praised as a “beautiful, raw and compassionate memoir about identity, love, and understanding." Don’t miss it!

Seattle also boasts one of the best Trans Prides in the world. On the evening of June 22, join hundreds of trans and gender non-conforming people as they march for their rights! The event is "open to everyone who believes that trans and gender diverse people deserve to live lives free from violence, discrimination, stigmatization, poverty, hatred, rejection, medical abuse and neglect, and mental pathologization." Come add your voice to the movement!

And then, the main event! The 44th Annual Seattle Pride Parade will kick off at 11am on Sunday, June 24. Visitors are invited to cheer on the floats from community organizations, local businesses, drag queens, and men in jockstraps. The parade starts downtown at Union Street and runs along 4th avenue to Denny Way. Check out their handy Pride Guide for more information!

This year, Seattle Pride is offering two days of Seattle Pride Fest! On June 23, head to Capitol Hill from to take advantage of "live music, food trucks, a beer garden, artist booths, and lawn games." Then, on the 24th, head to Seattle Center to hit all the booths and eat all the food you missed the first time around! The events—which start at 12 and run until 9 and 8pm respectively—are a great opportunity to show your support for the LGBT community, all while engaging with your community!

However, a world-class Pride parade isn’t all Seattle has to offer. Check out...

The Beauty of Native History

Though all of America once belonged to native peoples, the Pacific Northwest puts the culture of their its original residents at the forefront. As the Seattle Native American Cultural Heritage page reminds us, "Seattle is Indian country." Itself named after a Suquamish and Duwamish chief, Seattle offers plenty of opportunities to learn more about native cultures, notably the Suquamish Museum, where you can explore centuries of native artistry.

The Charms of a Different Era

It’s hard to imagine Seattle without the retro-futuristic silhouette of the Space Needle. Unveiled for the 1962 World’s Fair, the needle offers an observation deck at 520 feet, and a restaurant just beneath it. Even just walking around the base of the needle, you can get a sense of what people in the '60s saw the future holding: clean lines, spaceship shapes, and a world still to be discovered.

If you’re looking to time-travel to an entirely different era, drop by Pike Place Market, where you can re-live the days of the gold rush with the gorgeous arcades filled with "hundreds of farmers, craftspeople, small businesses and residents" hawking everything from paintings to potatoes. Also, if you’re okay with waiting in line of an hour, you can also get a coffee at the original Starbucks—but then again, why would you?

A Uniquely Urban Take on Nature

Nestled in the foggy hills of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle is the perfect place to get a new take on nature. See how modern city planners are integrating the industrial with the natural at Gas Works Park, a former gasification plant turned into a gorgeous, grassy park with space to picnic, play, and just enjoy the stunning view of downtown Seattle across the water. Though you may have no idea what "gasification" means (I sure don’t!), this park is sure to impress. For another great example of how nature can co-exist with the manmade, check out Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. Located right next to the Space Needle, these gardens are the perfect place to discover the work of legendary glassworker Dale Chihuly against a backdrop of "crimson camellias, scarlet daylilies, dogwoods, hardy fuchsias and handkerchief trees." Check it out!