Lawrence PRIDE 2026! parade to kick off the month with flair and inclusivity

Lawrence Pride // Photo by Fally Afani

Kicking off the first week of Pride Month this Saturday, June 6, is Lawrence PRIDE 2026!, Lawrence’s annual Pride parade, which starts at 11:00 a.m. in Downtown Lawrence and will be immediately followed by a block party. 

Nonprofit organization Lawrence PRIDE has been running the event since the first official parade in 2023, and its current director is Shania Lopez-Cabrera, who has held the position since September 2024. The event initially started as a pride concert in 2018, organized by one of the current board members, Fally Afani.

As Lopez-Cabrera explains, there is an enormous amount of work required by this event for her and her team. This includes working with the city, completing numerous applications, and sourcing the performers. They work basically all year, only taking July off, then start back up in August to prepare for the following year’s festivities, but it is work that is well worth it. 

Lawrence Pride parade // Photo by Jeff Burkhead

“I have an aunt who has come to queer prom that we organize in January and February, and she has remarked about how much different going to events and just being in the LGBTQIA+ community is today than it was back in the 80s when she had to hide who she was,” Lopez-Cabrera says. “We just hear from people all the time how important it is to be able to get together and to be open. It is really meaningful to me, personally.” 

This year, there are more than 200 vendors setting up in South Park to sell their goods to patrons attending Pride. Most of the vendors are local craftspeople, artisans, and jewelers. 

There is a full lineup featuring back-to-back performances, including the Last Carnival Acrobats at noon, and, of course, drag performances by well-known Lawrence drag queens Deja Brooks and Vantas. The musical artist Jamogi is coming in from Kansas City, and while the entire event is family-friendly, there is a special stage dedicated to the family event, which will be hosted by Mrs. Helena Handbasket and Magyk. 

According to Lopez-Cabrera, Lawrence PRIDE aims to make the event as accessible as possible. This year, there will be a decompression tent, and earbuds are provided for anyone who wants them. In addition, the park party is completely free, as well as other events they host earlier in the year, such as queer prom. 

On how the organization has been affected by the current economic and political climate, Lopez-Cabrera says, “We have heard from business owners that they want to continue to support us at the same levels they have in the past years, but they are worried about what the future of our community is going to look like, as we all are. We are grateful for whatever they are able to give us to support the event; it just means we haven’t been able to grow a ton.”

Lawrence Pride parade // Photo by Jeff Burkhead

Lawrence PRIDE has strong connections with local businesses, vendors, and nonprofit organizations. Sandwich Bowl and Pawsh Stop are donating part of their proceeds to Lawrence PRIDE in June. The Granada Theater also works closely with Lawrence PRIDE, and this year, the Granada is hosting an 18+ afterparty with go-go dancing cages and a 21+ upstairs space. 

With anti-trans legislation increasing the risk for transgender people in the United States, Lawrence PRIDE aims to provide a safe space for the community, as well as offer them support in any way possible. 

“Especially for our trans community, it’s been a really rough couple of years, and seeing organizations and people roll back their support for us, or feel like there is more openness to hate against us, has been really disappointing and frustrating,” Lopez-Cabrera says. “I would say allies, if you want to come to our event, we would love to have you, and we need you, especially in this climate.”

If you would like to get involved and offer support to some organizations that are near and dear to Lawrence PRIDE’s heart, here are just a few: Trans Lawrence Coalition, Kansas Association for Social Housing, Lawrence Pride, and Rainbow Kids & Families. 

To those considering going this Saturday, Lopez-Cabrera has a message for you: “It feels really good to have people who support us. Anyone who wants to come out to Lawrence PRIDE and wonders if they will feel comfortable or if it is right for them, I hope that they make it out to our lovely city and lovely public park.”