Salem Pride Parade and Block Party

Salem Capital Pride holds a June parade that starts at the Oregon State Capitol and travels through downtown Salem. It ends at a free block party on State Street with food vendors, live stage entertainment, and activities such as face painting and crafts. ASL interpreters and a sensory relief tent are provided.

Salem Capital Pride works to educate, celebrate and connect LGBTQ+ people and allies throughout the Central Willamette Valley through events, information and community partnerships. Its board is led by president Mathew Oldfield.

Parade participants gather from 11:15 a.m. to noon by the Capitol Building on Waverly Street NE, and the parade steps off at noon for a roughly seven-block route through downtown that takes less than an hour. Anyone who supports or belongs to the LGBTQ+ community can march, and vehicles, motorcycles, bikes and roller skates are all welcome. Organizers ask participants not to park in front of the Oregon Justice Department building or in government-only lots.

The block party runs from noon to 5 p.m. on two blocks of State Street between Liberty and Front, and it is wheelchair accessible with an accessible restroom. Food vendors in 2026 included Guamanian Grill, Palomas Kitchen and Sling-in Wiener, and SoBar served mocktails. Community booths offered aerial demos by Salem Circus, zine making with Cherry City Zines, a pride flag learning game with Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, ribbon wands with PFLAG Salem and Rainbow Youth, button making, giant games and LGBTQ legal trivia with a local justice of the peace.

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.

Salem Pride Parade and Block Party has included parade and block party.

The organizer has not announced dates for 2027 yet. In 2026 it was held June 13, 2026. It usually falls a Saturday in mid-June.