Pride month takes place each year during June. The month provides the LGBTQ+ community a chance to connect and celebrate together. Outside of Pride month, the community and connection continues through LGBTQ-focused spaces and events.
One organization that aims to provide community to LGBTQ+ people across Utah is Encircle. Encircle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides services, education and community to LGBTQ+ people. The charity does this through its four community centers in Provo, Salt Lake City, St. George and Heber.
Each community center holds events and services for LGBTQ+ youth, young LGBTQ+ adults, LGBTQ+ adults of all ages and parents and family members of LGBTQ+ people. Some of these events and services include friendship circles, therapy sessions, art nights and community brunches.
Encircle’s first LGBTQ+ center opened on Valentine’s Day in 2017. Since then, Encircle has reported a high level of satisfaction from those who attend its programs with 98% of LGBTQ+ youth and young adults reporting to the organization that Encircle helps them feel positively about their identity.
Utah is also home to a few LGBTQ-focused businesses like Under the Umbrella, a bookstore and cafe in Salt Lake City. The business opened its doors in December 2021 after a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Under the Umbrella focuses on featuring LGBTQ+ books, stories and authors but also offers books focused toward LGBTQ+ allies. The business offers a safe, sober and accessible space for LGBTQ+ people to gather and grow community.
The store holds many events for queer people and allies of the community like book clubs, table top role-playing games and queer speed-dating. Under the Umbrella has featured many different authors including Chuck Tingle, the author of Bury Your Gays.
Another queer-focused business is The Suntrapp, a gay bar located in Salt Lake City. The Suntrapp has a decades-long history as a space for queer people in Utah. The bar hosts events from drag shows to book clubs.
Outside of local charities and businesses, a few organizations hold Pride events for the Utah community, like Ogden Pride. Ogden Pride holds lots of community events like movie nights, youth outreach nights and events for the group seniors out and proud.
Ogden Pride holds their yearly Pride celebrations during August instead of June. The theme for 2025’s celebrations is “Pride Cannot Be Silenced.” Ogden Pride’s festival will be held on Aug. 3 at the Ogden Amphitheater.
Another 501 nonprofit Pride organization is the Utah Pride Center. The organization’s mission statement says that their goal is to unite, empower and celebrate Utah’s diverse LGBTQ+ community with safe, accessible and inclusive programs, events and services.
The Utah Pride Center offers and hosts many different types of events for LGBTQ+ people with their biggest event, Utah Pride, consisting of multiple days of celebration. Utah Pride is taking place on June 5-8.
The Pride festival’s first event will be an interfaith worship service at the First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City on June 5. The interfaith worship service has been a core part of the Pride festival for more than two decades. The worship service will go from 7-8:30 p.m. and consist of prayer, reflection, music and love with the goal to celebrate queer faith.
A Pride youth dance will be held the next day on June 6 at the Salt Lake City Public Library from 8-11 p.m. The dance is intended for youth between the ages of 14 and 20 and will have a ‘60s and ‘70s theme.
Utah Pride’s main events kick off on June 7, starting with a Pride march and rally at Utah’s state capital. The rally will have entertainment provided by DJ ToxiNN and Cheer Salt Lake. The event will also feature many different speakers including Olivia Jaramillo, a retired United States Air Force veteran and the director for public outreach at Equality Utah, and Chad Call, the executive director of the Utah Pride Center.
After the rally, the Pride festival’s first day will take place. The festival will take place from 11 a.m. till 10:30 p.m. and will feature booths and activities hosted by many different groups. The festival will also have entertainment at three different stages with 26 different performers taking stage throughout the day.
The festival’s final day starts off with a Pride parade in Salt Lake City. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and will start at 100 South and West Temple Street. The parade will head east until 400 east where the parade will turn south and end at 300 south and 400 east.
After the parade, the festival will continue from noon until 7 p.m. The second day will feature booths, activities and even a performance from David Archuleta as well as other artists and performers.
