Everything you need to know for Pensacola Pride's 30th anniversary

Ricky Cornish
·2 min read
Pensacola Pride Gay Couple Beach Party
Pensacola Pride Gay Couple Beach Party

Summer is here, and Pensacola is the ultimate destination to kick off Pride season!

Thousands of people from around the world head to the Florida white sand beaches to rock their Speedos, set up tents, and invade the Portofino Island Resort to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Memorial Weekend Pensacola is hitting its 30th anniversary this year, and the famous party is known as the largest LGBTQ+ Memorial Day event held in North America.

Park East on Pensacola Beach has become a gay hot spot thanks to Johnny Chisholm, who started throwing local Memorial Day LGBTQ+ parties in the early 1990s.

Every corner of the LGBTQ+ community comes together to invade the beach to meet new friends, party all day, and enjoy some of the best circuit parties in the country under the big white tent at night.

Thursday night kicked off the festivities with DJ Dan Slater and DJ Will Lowe. But the real shenanigans begin with the Neon Ball and Backlight Glow Party featuring DJ Tom Stephan and DJ Karsten Sollors on Friday night.

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Global drag sensation Trixie Mattel will perform a special Tea Dance DJ set with DJ Robbie Carrigan to properly celebrate the 30th anniversary.

Then, it's time to slap on some Speedos and fun swimwear for the Saturday night Deep Sea Disco circuit party with DJ Abel and DJ Tdon.

Lastly, Sunday night will be the grand finale with the Abracadabra white party. Anything white goes, and DJs Joe Gauthreaux and Eddie Martinez will spin some records that will have people dancing all night.

Outside of partying all day on the beach and dancing all night at the circuit parties, The Cabaret and The Roundup serve as the two main gay bars that offer tasty cocktails, friendly vibes, and iconic performances from the local drag scene. You may even see queens from RuPaul's Drag Race pop up at any given time.

Finally, the Portofino Island Resort will be the main hub for visitors to stay and enjoy the Adventure Park + Pool. With inflatable slides, a water trampoline, and plenty of water sports, including parasailing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and sailing... there is truly something for everyone during this monumental weekend.

To learn more about Memorial Weekend Pensacola, visit the official website here.