Thousands expected to attend 35th annual Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Excitement is building in the Tower District as Fresno prepares to host the 35th Annual Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival on Saturday. Organizers expect thousands to line the streets for one of the Central Valley’s largest and most vibrant celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community.

The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. and will feature around 100 entries, including floats, performers, and community groups. Bryan Esparza, President of Fresno Rainbow Pride, says the event will showcase the energy and unity that Pride represents.

“So tomorrow in the Tower District, we have our parade,” said Esparza. “It starts at 10 in the morning and we have about 100 entries in the parade.”

The parade is expected to last about two to two and a half hours. And for the first time in the event’s history, it will be broadcast live in both English and Spanish—thanks to a new partnership with Casita Feliz, a local LGBTQ-serving organization.

“And we’re going to announce the parade in Spanish. So we’re going to have a Spanish and an English announcing table,” he said.

After the parade, the celebration will shift to Fresno City College, where the Pride Festival will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The festival will include live music, a main stage, over 200 vendors, and 30 food trucks and booths offering everything from local eats to handmade goods and community resources.

“The entertainment will be going all day,” said Esparza. “We have about 200 vendors… and we have about 30 food trucks, food booths… we’re expecting about 20,000 people tomorrow.”

But organizers say the event goes beyond just entertainment.

“It’s a day that they can celebrate and have a lot of joy and just live their authentic selves,” Esparza said. “This is a very safe space for members of our community and for Fresno as a whole.”

In a show of broad support, 15 local faith organizations are joining the event, with one church running a children’s play area, complete with bounce houses.

Free shuttle service will run continuously throughout the day between the parade route, Fresno City College, and designated parking areas, making it easy for attendees to enjoy both parts of the event.