Rochester Pride

Rochester Pride is a one-day festival held each May at Soldiers Field in Rochester. The 2026 festival featured more than 150 vendors and five hours of queer musicians, performers and entertainment. Organizers called it their largest festival to date.

Organizers reported that the 2026 festival drew more than 6,500 attendees and relied on more than 80 volunteers and 45 sponsors, with ASL interpreters on hand. Vendors included community organizations, artists and faith communities such as the Congregational Church, United Church of Christ and the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester, and sponsors ranged from the Rochester Rainbow Choir and the Southeast Regional Crisis Center to the University of Minnesota Rochester.

New in 2026 was True Self Studio, a gender-affirming closet pop-up. Through it, Rochester Pride partnered with local hairstylist Sunny, The Center Clinic and the Volunteer Lawyers Network to offer gender-affirming care, services and resources on site. Between festivals, the group sells Connecting Community apparel so supporters can show their Pride through the year.

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.

Rochester Pride has included festival, vendors and live entertainment.

Organizers reported more than 6,500 people in 2026.

The organizer has not announced dates for 2027 yet. In 2026 it was held May 16, 2026. It usually falls mid-May.