Saturday in the Park

Saturday in the Park is Southwest Washington's Pride festival, held each July in Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver. It is produced by the Southwest Washington Pride Alliance and features entertainment, vendor booths, and fundraising for local charities. The first event was held in 1994.

Pride in Clark County traces back to 1993, when a group gathered to celebrate the lives and history of LGBTQ people in Southwest Washington. That meeting led to the first Saturday in the Park in 1994, held near the Red Lion Inn at the Quay. The small gathering grew into a major celebration and a source of support for the local LGBTQ community, thanks to the work of the Southwest Washington Pride Alliance and its members.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Esther Short Park and has become a key fundraiser for local charities. The alliance also uses it to offer educational workshops for LGBTQ families, including guidance on documentation requirements and safety for international travel. Year-round, the alliance organizes entertainment, raises money for charities and helps LGBTQ residents of Southwest Washington connect with one another, and it welcomes volunteers.

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.

Saturday in the Park has included festival, entertainment and vendors.

Saturday in the Park was first held in 1994.

The organizer has not announced dates for 2027 yet. In 2026 it was held July 11, 2026. It usually falls second Saturday of July.