Photos: See the 2024 Charlotte Pride Festival + Parade float through uptown
By The Pham
On Sunday, Aug. 18, thousands of people gathered in uptown for the 2024 Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade, one of the region’s largest annual LGBTQ+ events. Charlotte Pride Week features all-day events, workshops, concerts, a health fair and more, plus a variety of celebratory Pride events all around the city.
DECADES OF TRADITION: In 1981, Charlotte hosted the first Pride Week. By 2010, about 10,000 people were attending the annual event. Last year’s festival and parade drew more than 273,000 attendees, according to organizers.
Check out photos from this year’s event:
Participants representing Grant Thornton cheer and wave from their float. One member puts a hand to their ear, encouraging the audience to make noise during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Charlotte mayor Vi Lyles smiles and shakes the hand of a parade attendee during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Participants representing Watershed, a non-denominational church in Charlotte, hold up letters that spell “Be Loved”during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Members of the Charlotte Gaymers Network, dressed as superheros, wave rainbow flags and smile to the audience during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
As the parade nears its end, participants hold up rainbow colored letters that spell “Pride” during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Members of the Charlotte Panthers TopCats Cheerleaders dance on top of a van painted in the Panthers team colors during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Wells Fargo float participants cheer and wave rainbow flags during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Participants representing the City of Charlotte cheer and wave to the audience. The group was followed by a local Charlotte bus that displayed the text “Ride with Pride” instead of its usual bus routes during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Participants wave signs that read “Kamala” and “Josh Stein,” showing support for the upcoming November election during the Charlotte Pride Festical & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Participants representing Bank of America smile, cheer, and wave to the audience. Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Participants from Queens University march down Fourth Street carrying a large Pride Flag during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Members of Queen City Twirlers spin colorful flags decorated with Charlotte’s crown symbol during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Parade participants march and cheer while holding a Discovery Palace banner during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Participants representing Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte cheer and dance on the float, while members on the ground hand out swag items to the audience during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Parade participants representing Equality North Carolina Foundation cheer, jump, and dance through the street during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Members of Time Out Youth cheer aboard the organization’s float. One member holds out their shirt that reads, “Keeping our queer youth alive since 1991” during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Participants from One Voice Charlotte wave rainbow streamers. One Voice is an LGBTQIA and allies chorus group, working to increase understanding and acceptance of its members during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Parade attendees gather along the sides of the street, waving rainbow colored fans and flags during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakarabarti For the Observer
Festival volunteers kick off the during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
Members of the Charlotte Pride Band play their instruments as they turn the corner of Tryon and Fourth Street during the Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 Anika Chakrabarti For the Observer
This story was originally published August 18, 2024 at 9:44 PM.
