Submitted by the San Juan Island Pride Foundation

San Juan Island Pride Foundation, an organization dedicated to fostering community across LGBTQIA+ and intersecting identities, announces its 2024 Pride Festival. The event will celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community of the San Juan Islands with live music, a showcase of local organizations and Pride themed retail vendors, delicious food vendors, a bar with specialty cocktails and mocktails, and a DJ after party.

“We are thrilled to host another amazing Pride Festival here on San Juan Island,” said Deanna Osborn, Chair of the San Juan Island Pride Foundation. “Through this annual event, we aim to bring the LGBTQIA+ community and allies together to continue to build strong community relationships, increase the island’s queer visibility, and further raise awareness for the importance of creating welcoming and safe spaces for islanders.”

The event will take place on Saturday, June 15 between 4 p.m. and 12 a.m. at Brickworks Sunshine Plaza. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. attendees of all ages can enjoy live entertainment from islands-based musicians Derek Eisel, Trinity Althoff, Tara Craig, and UGAIA. It will also feature performances from the Turnback Boyz drag king troupe and boyband from Portland as well as Rowan Ruthless & Her Savage Sisters drag queens from Seattle. In addition to stage performers there will be activities such as face painting, screen printing, costuming, and more throughout the afternoon.

The event will conclude with an 18+ DJ after party between 8:30 p.m. and 12 a.m. with performances from islanders DJ Maddy Daddy, DJ Devon, and DJ Parts Per Million from Bellingham.

The daytime events are free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged and can be made at the event. Admission to the DJ after party will be a sliding scale of $10-$20. Festival volunteers will receive free admission to the DJ after party. To volunteer, please visit https://www.sanjuanislandpridefoundation.org/volunteer-pride-festival.

The proceeds raised from the 2024 Pride Festival will be used towards the creation of a Queer Center on San Juan Island. The Center will provide a gathering place for LGBTQIA+ community members to be themselves and will provide several services including mental health support, queer-focused resources, and more. The goal of the SJIPF is to have a Queer Center open and services available multiple days throughout the week by Summer 2025.

For more information about the festival, or to get involved with the San Juan Island Pride Foundation, please visit sanjuanislandpridefoundation.org.