Howard County Pride Festival

Howard County Pride holds an annual fall festival in Columbia. The 2026 festival is on Sunday, October 11 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with music, drag performances, vendors, food trucks and community organizations. The group also organizes Old Ellicott City Pride in June.

Howard County Pride is produced by HoCo Pride, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs events and programs to support, advocate for and educate people about the LGBTQ+ community in Howard County. It works in partnership with the Inner Arbor Trust, and all proceeds from its events go back into its work. Donations are fully tax-deductible and help fund both the Howard County festival and the Old Ellicott City Pride festival.

The group's goals are broad. It aims to build a sense of community among LGBTQIA2S+ residents of Howard County, to encourage the wider public to understand the value of acceptance in an increasingly diverse county, and to educate residents about the issues facing sexual and gender minorities. It also advocates for policies that support the LGBTQIA2S+ community, offers support to people coping with hostility, and promotes cultural activities and greater visibility, all with the aim of improving quality of life for LGBTQ people in the county.

Pride events celebrate LGBTQ+ people and mark the Stonewall uprising of June 1969. Most combine a parade or march with a festival of performers, community groups, vendors and food.

Howard County Pride Festival has included festival, music, drag performances, vendors and food trucks.

The next edition is October 11, 2026. It usually falls october.