It’s always a great time to celebrate Norfolk’s LGBTQ+ community, but Pride Month lends especially exciting opportunities to get involved. Whether you plan on attending the vibrant waterfront celebration of PrideFest or want to experience some of the other fantastic LGBTQ+ events in June, there’s plenty of ways to support the inclusion, dignity and equality of all people. Save the dates for these events happening in Norfolk during Pride Month 2023! Psst: Check out our Pride merchandise available online, in person at our Mermaid Market or at Hampton Roads PrideFest.
Pride Month Launch + Trivia
June 1
Bold Mariner Brewing Company
What better way to kick off Pride Month than with good friends, great beer and gripping rounds of trivia? Meet up at Bold Mariner Brewing Company, an Ocean View staple with beautiful wraparound porches and irresistible barbecue and charcuterie served on site. Try a new favorite brew while participating in Pride-themed trivia!
Pride Month Brew Tour
All Month
Multiple Locations
Raise a few at the new Break Free Brew Tour! All month long, breweries through out the region are celebrating with special Pride-themed events and brews.
Pride Month Kickoff
June 3–4
MJ’s Tavern
Join the Tavern staff, Stonewall Sports and Hampton Roads Pride to kick off Pride Month Tavern style! There will be drag queens, bands, DJs, food and drink, dunk tanks and more! This two-day event features outdoor activities available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days. A cornerstone of the LGBTQ community since 2012, MJ’s Tavern is friendly, welcoming and open to everyone!
Pride Ride on the ERT
June 4
Smartmouth Brewing Company
Pride Ride is a casual-paced group ride open to anyone and everyone! The ride will start at 3 p.m. at Smartmouth Brewing Company and go to MJ’s Tavern for the 2023 Pride Month Kick-Off Party! All skill levels are welcome!
Pride to be Free
June 4
Maker’s Craft Brewery
Enjoy the I Am What I Am beer, a collaboration with Traditions Brewing. Come party with Lola Monroe, Fushia DeVille and Javon Love. The event includes games, music, live entertainment and beer.
Hopes & Dreams Pride Night at Smartmouth
June 9
Smartmouth Brewing Company
Come celebrate LGBTQIA+ art, music, and culture in a big way at Norfolk HQ! Enjoy drag performers, musicians, and a vendor market all night long.
Chelsea Pride Open House Weekend
June 9–11
Break free with Vessel Craft Coffee, Grandiflora Wine Garden and The Birch bar during the Chelsea Pride Open House Weekend! All weekend long there will be a special drink menu from Grandiflora Wine Garden. Proceeds will benefit Hampton Roads Pride. On Saturday, break free with Vessel Craft Coffee during their regular operating hours. Hampton Roads Pride will be on-site from 8–10 a.m. with Break Free merchandise. On Sunday, break free with The Birch from 3–8 p.m. as you relax and celebrate pride.
Pride Pop-Up Party at Reaver NFK
Reaver NFK proudly supports and employs members of the LGBTQIA+ community year round and wanted to put together a special event for Pride in June! Join them as they welcome a talented lineup of local queer/ally owned businesses for an afternoon of sipping, shopping and supporting the community!
Virginia Zoo Pride Night
June 10
Virginia Zoo
The Virginia Zoo will be adding hearts and rainbows to their stripes and spots during their second annual Pride Night. Learn new facts about your favorite Animal Ambassadors, tour select exhibits, grab a bite from the restaurant, and shake your plumage to eclectic tunes spun by a local DJ.
Mimosas & Heels Drag Brunch
June 11
Public House
Head to the Public House for a fantastic and fun Mimosas & Heels Drag Brunch, in collaboration with Hampton Roads Pride. It will be a top-notch performance with Trixy Valentine, Harpy Daniels (the Navy Drag Queen), Tiffani, Foxxy and Vivian.
Pride Speakeasy Night
June 12
Gershwin’s
Where better to partake in the glitz and glamour of speakeasy vibes than at Gershwin’s Downtown? This Norfolk gem gives a nod to the roaring 20s in style, decor and music. Order a cocktail or mocktail and celebrate Pride Month in style.
Hampton Roads Pride Night Out
June 14
Harbor Park
Hampton Roads Pride has partnered with the Tides baseball team for a special Pride Night! Cheer on the home team, enjoy your favorite snacks and drinks and partake in Wine Down Wednesday specials—all while supporting the inclusion, dignity and equality of all people.
Virginia Queer Film Festival
June 14–16
ODU
The festival is designed to connect audiences with original films by, for and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people and their families and provide a forum for LGBTQ+ filmmakers to share and discuss their work.
Truly Pride Happy Hour
June 16
Grain
Truly is joining the party at Grain for Truly Pride Happy Hour, with $5 Wild Berry drafts and $10 Truly lemonade flights.
Dance Like Dad—Pride Party at The Wave
June 17
The Wave
Break out your best dad moves—you know they’re in there somewhere—for an unforgettable night of fun at Norfolk’s largest LGBTQ+ dance club in the area.
Ghent Pride
June 20
Palace Shops, Ghent
Come to the Palace Shops located in Ghent for a party complete with music, entertainment, beer, wine, signature cocktails and tasty food from local restaurants. The parking lot between 21st and 22nd Streets will be blocked off for a fun evening. Attendees will have an opportunity to purchase a “Love Lock” to place on the LOVE IS LOVE display, bid on art with a silent auction and so much more. All proceeds will benefit Hampton Roads Pride, LGBT Life Center, Stonewall Sports, TR Dance, Hope House, PFLAG and Ghent Business Foundation.
Pride at the Chrysler
June 21
Chrysler Museum of Art
Join for a Pride-filled evening at this beloved art museum with a celebration of LGBTQ+ artists along with music, food and drink.
10th Annual Pride Block Party
June 23
The NorVa
It’s the night before PrideFest; why not start the celebration early? Join in the excitement and celebrate your uniqueness with fabulous entertainment, performances and more.
PrideFest
June 24
Town Point Park
This much-anticipated annual event celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, providing the opportunity to unify through celebrations of inclusion and equality. Norfolk has the distinct honor of being the location for the only Pride Boat Parade in the country! The parade celebrates our connections with the 300-year-old maritime history of our port cities. Town Point Park, nestled along the riverbanks of the Elizabeth River, provides a unique setting for boaters to be part of this event.
Insider tip: Look for friendly VisitNorfolk staff at PrideFest! We’ll be on site selling vibrant rainbow gear to get you in the spirit of the celebration! Check out our Mermaid Market for a lineup of products!
Pridefest Official After-Party
June 24
Waterside District
Unleash your Pride, and party the night away at Hampton Roads Pride’s first PrideFest After-Party! Join the fun following PrideFest at Waterside District for a celebration. Experience live entertainment at Blue Moon Outdoor Stage, indulge in specialty PRIDE cocktails, and chill out in Rocky Mountain Grill. Best of all, it’s FREE and exclusively for those 21+!
You Need to Calm Down: TAYLOR SWIFT Pride Party
June 25
Grain
Love is love is Loverfest! Grain is celebrating Norfolk Pride with a Taylor Swift themed dance party, and the DJ will have us dancing all night long to all of Taylor’s greatest eras. It’s not officially summer until you’ve screamed the Cruel Summer bridge at the top of your lungs in a room full of Swifties. Grain hopes to see you “up on the roof with a school girl crush, drinking beer out of [glass pint] cups” and sipping pride flights because one flavor is never enough.
Check out Hampton Roads Pride for more details on upcoming events and ways to get involved.
