Pride in July? The Backstory of Pride and the July Celebration in Rochester

Rochester’s Pride march and celebration occur annually around the second or third weekend of July. For many residents and visitors to Roc Pride, there is a sense of bewilderment that seeks to answer the question, Why is Pride in July in Rochester, New York?

The origins of Rochester’s Pride began on Sunday, May 16, 1971, when local protesters led by the Rochester Gay Liberation Front organized a “gay-in” at Genesee Valley Park (GVP). The following year, in July 1972, the annual festivities were billed as an “annual gay community picnic,” and crowds continued to gather at GVP. Rochester’s first official parade was added on Wednesday, June 28, 1989, and was held on East Main Street in the evening.

The venue has shifted over the years from GVP to Ontario Beach Park, to Charles Carroll Park, now known as the Austin Steward Plaza. It has been held at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square and Cobb’s Hill from 2016 to 2023, before officially moving to Highland Park in 2024.