For 45 years, Phoenix Pride has been organizing marches, rallies, parades, entertainment, education, and outreach events to celebrate the Phoenix LGBTQ+ community. This year, the 45th Anniversary Pride Festival will be held in downtown Phoenix at The Arizona Center, 455 N. 3rd St.

A weekend of events begins Saturday, Oct. 10, with a Pre-Pride Coming Out Concert. Gates open at 6 p.m.; showtime is 7-10 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 11, the Phoenix Pride Parade steps off at 10 a.m. The parade travels south on 3rd Street from Portland Street to Taylor Street, ending at the entrance to the festival. Festival hours on Sunday are noon to 10 p.m.

This year’s Phoenix Pride Festival will continue to be a celebration designed to bring the Valley’s diverse LGBTQ+ and allied communities together for a weekend of camaraderie and celebration, organizers say, while raising funds for the Phoenix Pride Community Programs and educating the public about the existence and continuing civil rights battle facing the community.

Find tickets and information online at www.phoenixpride.org/events/pride-festival.