Pride Festival Returns To Western Illinois Park In Early June

It's almost Pride Month!

The Quad Cities Pride Festival is back for another year. It will be June 6th-7th at Schwiebert Riverfront Park in Rock Island.

The lineup of drag performers this year includes RuPaul's Drag Race alumni, along with the current Miss Gay America.

The festival will be hosted by Bentley Balenciaga, and will feature Auntie Heroine as the Friday (June 6th) night headliner and Mhi'Ya Iman LePaige (from RuPaul's Drag Race) will headline Saturday night.

Other performers at the festival include Janice Robinson, Giselle Cassidy Carter (Miss Gay North Carolina America 2024), and Dessie Love Blake (the reigning Miss Gay America).

In addition to the live entertainment (which will include bands and open-stage talent), food trucks will be at the festival, along with vendors and community resources. The festival is open to all ages.

Tickets are $10 general admission (for Friday or Saturday only), $15 for a weekend pass, $20 for a VIP weekend pass, and $5 for the afterparty at Speakeasy.

Daniel Gleason, President of the Quad Cities Pride Alliance, said in the event's press release:

We’re excited to once again bring this incredible celebration to the riverfront in Rock Island. Pride is about visibility, community, and joy—and this year’s festival will be a powerful reminder of the love and resilience that defines our region.

You can keep up with the latest on the festival at Quad Cities Pride Alliance's Facebook page.

Pride Month dates all the way back to 1999, when then-President Bill Clinton issued Proclamation 7203 for Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.