Philly’s 2026 Pride takes over Benjamin Franklin Parkway
The LGBTQ+ event also was the first in several years to include an admission fee. Pride attendees said they were happy to see the event move to the parkway.
With the sun shining and the grand vista of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps framing a new venue, crowds poured into Philadelphia’s 2026 Pride festivities on Sunday — the first time the LGBTQ+ event was ever hosted on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
“This is beautiful,” said Drew Galella, 27, of King of Prussia, toasting his boyfriend, Rich Jann, 42, also from King of Prussia, and their friend, Kaitlin Kirwan, 41, of South Jersey, with their first vodka lemonades. Regular attendees of Philly Pride events — hosted in the Gayborhood since 2022, and Penn’s Landing before then — they cheered the spacious festival grounds, which ran along the Parkway, from Eakins Oval to 21st Street. The celebration had stepped off at 11 a.m., with a parade starting at 13th and Locust Streets.
By 12:30 p.m., the group had easily wound through fast-moving ticket lines — this year also marked the return of a festival admission fee — and strolled the celebration’s vastly expanded vendors’ row and wide-open performance areas, and grabbed their cocktails without a wait.
“The change of venue is perfect,” said Jann.
The new location is a means to accommodate larger crowds — an estimated 147,000 last year — and improve safety, the organizers have said. But the changes, including the $10 cost of an entrance band, were not well-received, and many took to social media with their frustrations and concerns over whether this move would hurt the Gayborhood.
» READ MORE: Moving Pride and charging for it sparked a backlash. Organizers say the Gayborhood still has a role.
Philadelphia is no stranger to the pay-for-Pride model; before 2022, the festival charged an entrance fee. But still, the ticketing policy sparked discourse about inclusivity and the corporatization of Pride parades, which were first held to commemorate the Stonewall riots in New York City.
In an email to The Inquirer ahead of Sunday’s festivities, Philly Pride 365 spokesperson Brandon Szeker said that “given the various factors that could potentially impact ANY event,” the organizers were “not concerned about ticket pricing.”
“There are many community organizations offering free tickets, so it’s really up to the consumer to make the best decision for themself,” Szeker said. “Pride is where you stand.”
Other cities, like St. Louis, have adopted an admission fee in response to major sponsors pulling or scaling back their support as President Donald Trump targets diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In Pittsburgh, Pride organizers told NPR they anticipated securing 30-40% of the sponsorship money this year that they were able to fundraise a few years ago.
Szeker said Philly Pride 365 has not experienced this drop in support and has previously dumped “problematic businesses,” like Target, Wawa, AARP, and Burlington, from its list of backers.
When asked about a possible missed economic boom for the Gayborhood, Szeker pointed to Philly Pride 365’s “Out For Good,” a Saturday street festival “centered on the [Gayborhood], uplifting the businesses, venues, and spaces that help sustain LGBTQ nightlife in Philadelphia year-round.”
This year’s sprawling event did seem to attract many first-timers, including neighborhood residents and out-of-towners.
“It’s so great to see everyone come together for such a beautiful cause,” said Erin Bell, 24, of Delaware, who made the trip with friends.
Others said they were extra proud to see the event hosted at Philadelphia’s most prominent celebration grounds, especially now, when their community is under attack from lawmakers and others.
“It’s the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love — it’s just so wonderful to see all this love here,” said Abby Craig, 23, of Bucks County.
Her friend, Phillip Rodriguez, 27, of North Philly, said that while he loves the Gayborhood, he felt the move to where Philly holds its biggest festivals makes a statement that Pride isn’t just for LGBTQ+ people.
“It says that something that everyone should enjoy,” he said.
Manning the Mazzoni Center booth, where volunteers connected crowds with LGBTQ+ health and wellness info, the center’s chief executive officer, Simon Trowell, said he understood upset feelings over the move but praised the added visibility.
“What a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the community and the city on America’s 250th anniversary,” he said. “We are delighted to be here.”
Meanwhile, the Gayborhood’s sidewalks and iconic shops and bars buzzed with crowds, who said they preferred to keep the party where they believed it belongs.
“Pride should remain a protest and support local businesses, not corporations,” said Nikki Schwartz, 28, of Spring Garden, who along with her wife toured the recently opened Philly Pride Visitor Center at 12th and Locust Streets, one of the few LGBTQ+-focused visitor centers in the nation. A lot of her friends felt the same, she added.
Nearby, Tonka Meares, 58, and her friend, Lorre Chavez, 60, both of Philly, said they had not yet made up their minds whether to visit the festival or stay in the neighborhood, where they have celebrated for 20 years.
“This is the Gayborhood,” said Meares. “It should be here.”
