5 Things We Learned at Tacoma Pride
I’ve been to Pride festivals in bigger cities like Seattle and have also spent years in small towns that didn’t hold any celebrations at all. Everything changed for the better when I moved to Tacoma during the pandemic. The world was shut down but mine was just opening up.
I learned what it really meant to live in Grit City, how the people of Tacoma always show up for each other and what community felt like for the first time. This past weekend, Tacoma held its 27th Annual Pride Festival, and I celebrated my third. Everything I knew and loved about my new home expanded threefold in a matter of two days.
Here are my biggest takeaways from Tacoma Pride 2025.
Community: Interconnectedness is Key
I’m fortunate to work for a local business that has long believed in the power of community. SiteCrafting’s commitment to partnering with local pillars and nonprofits is more than a value; it’s part of how we show up. I feel especially lucky when I get to see that commitment in action. From cheering on Tacoma Pride Award winners in a packed Pantages Theater to sharing smiles with partners across 27 acres at Wright Park, those moments felt larger than life. Clients like the City of Tacoma, Oasis Youth Center and Parks Tacoma reminded me that real impact comes from working together, right here at home.
Teammates Alex and Tiffany at Tacoma Pride Festival.
Leadership: Every City Needs a Lighthouse
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by global headlines, but watching how local leadership showed up at Pride this year gave me hope. Speaker Jinkins grabbed the mic and reminded us that our voices matter and that real change starts close to home. Mayor Woodards wore a new sash that said “Accomplice,” making it clear that being an ally isn’t enough and that we are called to act. And when seventy elected officials and candidates stood on stage, not just in support but dancing in celebration, it felt like more than a gesture. It felt like a promise.
Speaker Laurie Jinkins and Mayor Victoria Woodards watch as Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello gives opening remarks at the Tacoma Pride Awards.
Growth: Making Space Means Holding Space for More
As Pride weekend began with the 19th Annual Tacoma Pride Awards, it was clear how much the celebration has grown. What started at Theater Square now fills the lobby of the Pantages Theater. The Pride flag, once a temporary symbol flying over the Dome each July, is now a lasting presence at the rainbow crosswalk on Broadway. What once felt like a small downtown block party has become a full festival spread across Wright Park. This evolution is not just about size or location. It reflects the community’s deepening commitment to visibility, inclusion and holding space for all.
Jen visiting the farmers market on Broadway where the new rainbow crosswalk was unveiled.
Joy: You Can Find it Anywhere, Anytime and Even All At Once
“It’s important to feel joy wherever you can find it.” – KB, Oasis Youth Center
This. So much this. Even just hearing KB say this while presenting the Sapphire Award sparked joy and ignited my quest to find joy everywhere I could. I found it in Lifetime Achievement Honoree Dr. Jarvis’s face as he shared his award with Craig, his husband of fifty years. I looked for it at my favorite tree at Wright Park where I saw friends enjoying a picnic beneath its shade. I felt it when I watched families and strangers line-dancing together to Lizzo’s 2 Be Loved. It really wasn’t hard to find at all, it was everywhere at the Tacoma Pride Festival and I’m going to hold on to that for as long as I can.
The Community Stage brought strangers, friends and families together.
Belonging: Finding Your Place in it All
When asked what they were most looking forward to at this year’s Pride Festival, my teammate Kyndall replied, “Being in community.” Three simple words that speak to something deeply human. Belonging is a basic need, yet for many, it can take years to feel truly connected.
The Pride celebration served as a powerful reminder that everyone deserves a place where they feel safe being themselves. That sense of safety and authenticity was present in moments both small and sweeping. From crossing the street at the rainbow crosswalk to sharing tears of joy at the Pride Awards to seeing more than 20,000 people gather in Wright Park to live openly and freely, the message was clear: community matters.
Celebrating community members at the Tacoma Pride Awards to kickoff Pride Weekend.
