Formally recognized in a 1999 proclamation by former President Bill Clinton, this June marks the 27th official Pride Month.
However, Pride marches have taken place since 1970, one year after the historic Stonewall Uprising in Greenwich Village, New York City. According to the North Carolina Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources, the state’s “first annual Pride march” started in 1986.
Whether you are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community or are an ally, attending a Pride parade is easily one of the most fun ways to join in on the celebrations. If you want to get involved even more significantly, there are several other ways to show your support. From donating to local organizations to volunteering in advocacy efforts, N.C. is filled with opportunities for everyone who wants to celebrate Pride Month, and for all the other months of the year as well.
Make a difference by volunteering with local LGBTQ organizations
One of the most effective ways you can show your support for the LGBTQIA+ community is to volunteer.
The LGBTQ Center in Durham has a wide selection of specific volunteer opportunities it is looking to fill, such as a Trans and GNC Closet Assistant at the Queer Giving Closet, which provides clothes to help the queer community slay looks and feel confident out of the closet.
Raleigh’s LGBT Center has several volunteer-run career-building resources, including the David Bohnett CyberCenter, which provides “free access to computers” for resume-building, job searching, schoolwork, virtual meetings, and telehealth appointments.
Blue Ridge Pride in Asheville has an online application seeking volunteers from a diverse array of skill sets, including blogging, oral history interviewing, photo-/videography, event planning, database management, and community education. The Cape Fear LGBTQ Center in Wilmington is also accepting volunteer applications for its August 2026 orientation at this link.
Advocate for inclusive, equity-centered policies
As DEI initiatives continue to be dismantled across corporate and government institutions, showing up as an ally and demonstrating against LGBTQ discrimination has never been more important. Join the Equality NC Advocates Network to help fight for equality and social justice and to advocate for legislative protections and sexual health education.
Equality NC has also partnered with the Campaign for Southern Equality to form the NC is Ready project, which is organizing a coalition of social justice advocates and community leaders. If you want to volunteer, you can urge city council members to pass LGBTQ protections by making phone calls and sending emails. Support for transgender youth is especially crucial right now, and you can help by organizing a rally or spreading the word about the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project.
Drink and dance the night away at LGBTQ bars and clubs
Working hard and playing hard are both key to honoring Pride Month, and nothing beats partying at queer bars. Charlotte’s LGBTQ arts/entertainment scene really puts the Queen in Queen City, as the city has gay bars dating back decades and is where “Sinister Wisdom,” the “longest-running lesbian journal,” originated back in 1976. While the city now has a plethora of gay bars, Scorpio Nightclub in the South End is definitely one to check out.
Scorpio was Charlotte’s oldest LGBTQ nightclub before it closed, but it has reopened at a new spot with the same amazing DJs and fun drag shows. If you live in the Mountain region, Scandals Nightclub in Asheville is a converted three-story YMCA building that now has three floors of dancing. For those who live off the coast, Ibiza Nightclub in Wilmington offers drag karaoke nights.
The Raleigh-Durham area also has plenty of LGBT bars and clubs, such as the large, multistory Legends Nightclub Complex in Raleigh that offers drag shows, Club ERA in Durham that hosts dance parties, The Velvet Hippo Bar and Lounge in Durham that does music trivia bingo, and Libations 317 in Raleigh—a cozy and safe space with craft cocktails.
Shop at stores owned by LGBTQ locals
It seems like every other day we see headlines about a merger or acquisition. In these times, it’s especially vital to support small, local businesses and particularly minority-owned establishments. One of the most significant ways you can help your local LGBTQIA+ community members is to shop at LGBTQ-owned businesses.
Visit Raleigh has a database of such establishments, from houseplant shops like Urban Pothos to leather outfitters like Crewz Leather. In Durham, you can enjoy inclusive literature at Queeny’s, a warmly lit restaurant and bar with a small bookstore of LGBTQ+ content behind the bar.
Charlotte has plenty of shopping for you to do before you pop, lock, and drop it at Scorpio—from avant-garde fashion at Boris and Natasha to novelty gifts at Paper Skyscraper.
Edge of Urge in Wilmington is a great place for high-end clothing from indie fashion designers, while Emote in Asheville is a second-hand shop with an eclectic collection of clothing. Belmont, N.C., has a shopping passport you can fill out by Jun. 7 that lists several Pride-participating businesses, such as Bumblebee Creamery and BoCha Bubble Tea.
There’s nothing better to cap off a long day of shopping than to drink coffee at a local cafe. The LGBTQ Center of Durham has a whole list of LGBTQ-safe coffee shops, including Cocoa Cinnamon, while Discover Durham recommends LGBTQ-owned cafes like Vessel Coffee House and Art Cafe.
Immerse yourself in Pride Month events
Any conversation about LGBTQ inclusion would be remiss if it didn’t include supporting arts and culture.
The Halle Cultural Arts Center Gallery in Apex has a Pride Art Exhibit honoring the struggle for equality that will be on display until June 28. Hunter Street Park also has a Story Walk on display for the entire month that features queer voices.
You won’t want to miss the Carrboro Dance Party, put on in collaboration with Orgullo Latinx and El Centro Hispano. The interactive event will have food trucks, arts/crafts for kids, and opportunities for everyone to enjoy dancing to Latin music. There will also be dance and drag performances showcasing diverse experiences from queer Latinx culture.
Dance connoisseurs will also enjoy the OUT & FREE African dance performance on Sat. Jun. 20 at Bennett Place in Durham, from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Even after Pride Month, there are several queer artist community groups that host events you can attend throughout the year. Triad Pride Performing Arts, a part of the Greensboro Cultural Center, presents performing arts events year-round. In Raleigh, the Triangle Queer Arts Collective meets every third Friday at the LGBT Center of Raleigh to appreciate and create art together.
If you appreciate queer films and books, the Guilford Green Foundation and LGBTQ Center has a library with a wide-ranging selection that you can search through on the center’s online database.
Donate to LGBTQ-centered organizations
NPR reports that Pride events across the U.S. have lost corporate sponsors and would greatly benefit from donations now more than ever. Here are some LGBTQ organizations that you can donate to in N.C.
- Equality NC: An advocacy group that promotes LGBTQ legal protections and policies. If you are interested in supporting their political advocacy work, you can donate to the organization’s 501(c)(4) wing, but these contributions will not be tax-deductible. Alternatively, you can donate to the Equality North Carolina Foundation, the 501(c)(3) wing, which is tax-deductible. The foundation focuses on community organizing and education.
- LGBT Center of Raleigh: This organization empowers and advocates for the RTP-area LGBTQ community, while connecting people with career-building resources.
- LGBTQ Center of Durham: The LGBTQ Center of Durham is running a special campaign to raise $50,000 for the month of June. Donations will not only benefit the center’s Pride programming but also support year-round operations.
- LGBTQ Center of the Cape Fear Coast: A Wilmington-based group that provides “safe-zone training,” AIDS awareness education, community advocacy, and support groups for the LGBTQ community and allies.
- Twirl to the World Foundation: A Charlotte-based organization that provides financial assistance to the LGBTQ community and connects them with resources for mental health care, medical services, food assistance, and transportation.
- Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center: A Greensboro-based group that promotes LGBTQ inclusion through advocacy and philanthropic programming.
- Blue Ridge Pride: An Asheville-based organization dedicated to LGBTQ community outreach, event programming, and health equity initiatives. The organization is also leading an Oral History Project, which involves gathering stories from the LGBTQ community about living in the South.
Attend Pride parades and festivals across the state
Don’t forget to have fun while you support the LGBTQ community and attend a festival to celebrate Pride month and beyond.
Mountain region:
- Hendersonville Pride Festival 2026: Sat. Jun. 6, 12–5 p.m.
- Moondog Pizza Pride Festival in Morganton, N.C.: Sat. Jun. 6, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Juneteenth and Pride Jubilee in Sylva, N.C.: Fri. Jun 19, 6–9 p.m.
- Boone Pride March and Festival: Jun. 27, 12–6 p.m.
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival 2026: Sept. 26, 12–6 p.m.
Piedmont:
- Chapel Hill Pride Promenade 2026: Sat. Jun. 6, 12–3 p.m.
- Belmont Pride 2026: Sat. Jun. 6
- Winston-Salem Pride Parade 2026: Sat. Jun. 13, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
- OUT on the Block in Durham: Sat. Jun. 13, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
- Cary PRIDE in the Park: Sat. Jun. 13, 4–10 p.m.
- Carrboro’s Pride Piper Walk: Fri. June 26, 4:30 p.m.
- 2026 OUT! Raleigh Pride Rally: Fri. Jun. 26–Sat. Jun 27“
- Our Day Out” Remembrance March & Resource Fair in Durham: Sat. Jun 27, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Charlotte Black Pride Week: Jul. 12–18
- Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade 2026: Aug. 15–16
- Durham Pride Week 2026: Sun. Sept. 27–Sat. Oct. 3
Coastal Plains:
- PrideFest 2026 at Hi-Wire Brewing in Wilmington: Sun. Jun. 7, 2–8 p.m.
- Cape Queer Pride Fest 2026 in downtown Wilmington: Fri. Jun. 12–Sun. Jun. 14
- Wrightsville Beach Pride: Sat. Jun. 13, 5–9 p.m.
- New Bern Pride Prom: Sat. Jun 13, 7–11 p.m.
- Outer Banks Pride Week: Sept. 11–Sept. 13
For a comprehensive list of Pride events, visit this NC Department of Health and Human Services link.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Related: Pride, protests, and more: Your guide to taking action in North Carolina, June 5 – June 11
