What to know about Charlotte Pride, happening this weekend in Uptown

What’s happening: The city’s largest street festival and parade returns to Uptown on Saturday and Sunday. Throughout the weekend, event organizers expect to exceed 2022’s record of 275,000 attendees.

• Charlotte Pride is the largest LGBTQ+ celebration of its kind in the Carolinas, according to the city.
• Along with the popular parade, Charlotte Pride includes a festival Saturday on South Tryon starting at 12:30pm featuring local and national entertainers, musicians, bands, and hundreds of vendor booths, including art exhibits, local nonprofits, retailers and a food court, per Charlotte Pride.

Pride parade: The parade begins at 1pm Sunday on North Tryon and 9th streets.

• Don’t plan on driving through Uptown — there will be major street closures throughout the weekend. See the city’s website for more info.

Here are a few other ways to celebrate Charlotte Pride:

• The Chamber by Wooden Robot in NoDa is hosting a Pride pre-party Friday from 6-11pm. It’ll feature a DJ, LGBTQ+ vendor market and a rooftop drag show.
• Wooden Robot Brewery in South End is hosting a Pride pre-parade brunch on Sunday from 10am-1pm.
• Resident Culture in South End is hosting a Back to Hartigan’s Pride Party Saturday starting at 7pm. Ticket proceeds support local nonprofit HUG CLT.
• Ink N Ivy is hosting a Vanity House Pride Fest Saturday starting at 9pm.

• Victoria Yards will host a Pride Fest Day Party featuring electric music, dancing, food trucks, vendors, live art and drinks from 4-10pm.
• Have any to add? Let me know. [email protected]

Of note: Charlotte Pride comes days after N.C. Republicans overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes on a slew of controversial bills, including one called the Parents’ Bill of Rights. The now-law includes a requirement that educators inform parents if their child has changed their name or pronouns at school, as Axios’ Lucille Sherman reported.

• The new law also bans schools from incorporating “gender identity, sexual activity or sexuality” into the curriculum for kindergarten through 4th-grade students.
• Also, gender transition treatment for minors is now outlawed, and providers who do so anyway can face penalties.