It’s time for Salem Capital Pride’s annual celebration of Pride Month! This year we’re bigger than ever, spanning TWO blocks of downtown Salem, offering hours of free fun and entertainment. Check out all the details below!
Thank You Sponsors
Saturday June 7th, 2025
12pm: Pride Parade
Show off your colors as we parade through downtown Salem!
We’ll be starting at the Capitol Building and ending at the Block Party on Liberty Street.
We’re shutting down the streets so we’ll be able to have vehicles, motorcycles, bikes, roller skates, and walkers. Anyone who supports or is a part of the LGBTQ+ community is welcome to join in on the parade.
11:15 AM – 12 PM: Meet us by the Capitol Building on Waverly St NE to get your place in the parade.
12 PM: The parade steps off! We’ll march through downtown to the block party (about 7 blocks). We expect the full parade to last less than an hour.
To watch the parade, you can line up on the sidewalks along the parade route, and be sure to join us at the block party after!
12pm – 5pm: Salem Pride Block Party
After the parade, we’re kicking off a celebration of Pride in downtown Salem. Find us on the two blocks of State Street between Liberty and Front for food, entertainment, tons of free activities, and more!
Food & Drink:
Hedge Witch Pastry Kitchen – Handmade marshmallows and whimsical treats to bring a little bit of magic to your day.
Ice Cream – Cool off with some novelty ice cream bars!
Pupusas Chileros – A pupusa is a thick, handmade griddle cake or flatbread made with cornmeal or rice flour, similar to the Colombian and Venezuelan arepa. Come try all the fillings, as well as birria, birria egg rolls, and agua frescas.
Red Moon BBQ – Santa Maria-Style BBQ sandwiches, Tri-tip and pulled pork chili nachos.
Sling-in Wiener – Customize your own beef, sausage, or plant-based hot dog!
X Squeeze Me – Fresh pressed lemonades, pressed juices, avocado toast & smoothie bowls!
Entertainment:
With queer music playing between sets and ASL interpreters all day!
Stage Schedule:
12:30 PM: Welcome
12:40 PM: Reptile Lovechild
1:30 PM: Miss Smith’s Queertet
2:00 PM: Drag Performers
2:30 PM: Calienté!
3:25 PM: Hannah Wood
4:00 PM: Drag Performers
4:30 PM: Special Event!
Free Activities:
Lego Mosaic – Be part of a large Lego quilt with Bricks and Booze Oregon (no booze at this event though). Design your own square and add it to the community mosaic!
Button Making – Recreate classic Pride buttons with Becka Makes Buttons! Pick your favorite design and turn it into a button to wear and take home with you.
Face Painting – Get your face painted with a pride flag or other design of your choosing, provided by St Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Massage – 10 Minute chair massages provided by Lulay Massage Therapy (and yes they are free).
Zines – Learn the art of zines and make your own with the Cherry City Zine Collective.
Free Mom Hugs – Need a hug? Get a free mom or dad hug with Free Mom Hugs Oregon.
Balloon Art – Celebrate Pride with a balloon animal, hat or whatever else you can think of! Provided by Progressive Salem.
Communal Pride Flag – Write about what gender means to you on colored paper to be a part of this community-made flag and learn about Transform Salem Art Collective.
Bracelet Making – Make a bracelet with Rainbow Youth!
Board Games – Play a board game with some friends, or make some new ones. Get a taste of what it’s like to come to our twice a month Board Game Meetups!
Crafts – Bring your own craft, or do one of ours, and hang out with fellow crafters from our monthly Craft Meetup!
Share Your Queer Story – Every year, Capital Pride shares videos of members of the community sharing their stories for National Coming Out Day. At the Block Party, you can share YOUR story, whether it’s about coming out, a moment of queer joy, words of encouragement, or maybe just a piece of advice you’d like to give!
50/50 Raffle:
Enter to win our 50/50 Raffle! The winner splits the pot 50/50 with Capital Pride. The more people who buy tickets, the higher the pot.
Tickets are $1 each and will be available for purchase at our Raffle Tickets & Merch Booth from noon to 4pm (cash only). Winner will be announced once the pot has been counted after 4pm. You do not need to be present at the time of drawing to win.
Dunk Tank:
Test your aim and try to dunk different people throughout the day, including Pride leaders, community members, local business owners, and drag queens! Throws are $2 each or 3 for $5. All proceeds support Capital Pride. Dunk Tank tickets are available for purchase at the Raffle Tickets & Merch Booth.
Fundraiser Merch:
This event is completely free, but if you’d like to support Salem Capital Pride, you can head over to our Raffle Tickets & Merch Booth, where you can pick up some pride flags, fans, water bottles, tumblers, or check out our 2025 Fundraiser Apparel & Merch!
Afterparties
Keep the party going at one of these amazing afterparties!
RiRi’s After Show (21+)
Southside Speakeasy starting at 8pm ($8 cover)
Join RiRi Calienté for drag, dancing, and drink specials (that support Capital Pride)!
After After Show starting at 10pm
Enjoy some go-go dancing at the Speakeasy!
Youth Afterparty (ages 14-25)
Youth Era from 6-8pm
Come enjoy games, snacks, Dance Dance Revolution, and open mic!
Movie Night (PG-13)
To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar at Grand Theater at 6:30pm
Kick back and watch a queer film at Salem’s Historic Grand Theater.
Comedy Open Mic Night (21+)
The Best Goose 10pm-midnight
Enjoy some laughs and libations at Fork Forty’s premier bar and lounge.
Protestor Policy
You may see protestors outside the entrance(s) to this event.IGNORE THEM.
Giving attention to protestors only gives them what they want, escalates the situation, raises the volume, and makes other attendees more uncomfortable.
Repeat:DO NOT INTERACT WITH THEM. Let security keep an eye on them. We are legally not allowed to remove them from sidewalks outside the event, but trust that we are doing whatever we can to keep them from disrupting our Pride celebration.
If you see anyone being aggressive or encroaching into the event, immediately inform staff or one of our security guards and let them handle it.DO NOT ENGAGE WITH PROTESTORS FOR ANY REASON.
Volunteer
Want to give back to your community?
Help us put on a spectacular Pride 2025 by volunteering at the Block Party!
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Cost to Attend / Donating
The Parade & Block Party is FREE! One of our key beliefs is that Pride is for everyone! We are happy to be bringing you a free Pride as we continue to grow and expand. We do appreciate donations though to keep us growing and to help support our programs that we host year-round. If you would like to donate, you can do so here.
Vendors / Cash
Most, if not all, of the food & drink vendors accept electronic payment, but you may still want to bring cash to tip the entertainers, participate in the raffle, or otherwise spend at the event. Salem Capital Pride holds no liability for lost or stolen goods or money.
Parking
We recommend parking downtown in either the Liberty Parkade (entrance off Ferry St near Liberty) or the Chemeketa Parkade (entrance off Commercial St near Chemeketa).
Security
We have hired private security for the event. Even though our event has no history of violence, we want to be prepared. They will be patrolling all sections of the event. If you see anything concerning, please report it to our trained security guards and do not deal with it directly.
Cops
Cops are not invited to Pride.
Because of permits we have to file with the city, the police are aware of our event, but they are not invited. We do not approve of cops at our event and the history of damage they have done to our community.
Masking
COVID is still here. We encourage people to mask and will have free masks available at our first aid tent.
However, we recognize that for large events like this it will be impossible for our small group of volunteers to be able to enforce masking and therefore do not have it as a requirement for our event. If you are immuno-compromised or otherwise vulnerable we ask that you determine your own risk tolerance in attending this event.
Accommodations & Accessibility
All areas of the event will take place on the street and be wheelchair accessible.
We will be providing ASL interpretation at our stage for the entire duration of the event.
We will have a Sensory Relief Tent with earplugs, blankets, chairs, fidget toys, calming activities, etc. for anyone feeling overstimulated, anxious, or that just needs a break.
Free masks, sunscreen, and first aid supplies are available at the First Aid Station (Info Booth).
If you require any type of accommodation please let us know by emailing us at info@salemcapitalpride.org. We will do our best to make things as accessible as possible.
Alcohol
We will not be serving alcohol at this event, but there are many nearby bars, restaurants, and lounges you can go to for a drink. Remember that you cannot take open containers of alcohol outside of these venues. Bringing your own alcohol to the Block Party is not allowed.
Smoking
Smoking is prohibited at this event.
Weather
This is an outdoor event so you should prepare accordingly. Protection from the sun and staying hydrated will be important. You can visit our First Aid Booth for sunscreen throughout the day. If you begin to feel unwell for any reason, visit our First Aid booth.
Children / Family Friendly
Children and families are welcome at Pride! Many of our free activities offered are suitable for kids. However parental guidance is always suggested.
Animals / Pets
Your animal companions are welcome to join in the fun! All animals must be leashed or otherwise contained and under control at all times. Even if your companion is friendly, other attendees may have allergies, phobias, easily frightened animals of their own, etc. Please be considerate and always get consent before letting your animal interact with other attendees or other animals. This will be a busy event, so expect areas to be crowded and noisy at times, and determine whether your animal will be comfortable in this environment. The weather may be hot, so be sure to bring plenty of hydration for your animal and be mindful of the temperature of the pathways.
Looking for something else?
If you’re looking for Pride in the Park (our event in September), you can find that page here.