Savannah Pride Festival
& Parade 2023

Savannah Pride Festival and Parade 2023

The Savannah Pride Festival is a weekend long series of events that celebrate the diversity of the LGBT family in Savannah and the Coastal Empire. The event attracts more than 30,000 visitors..

Savannah, Georgia, is one of the most iconic southern cities in the United states and is a year-round destination with amazing weather. The annual pride event takes place at the end of October during Halloween, combining two big gay holidays in one! What could be better?

• Visiting Savannah for Pride? Stay close to the city’s top attractions and gay-friendly venues at the River Street Inn, a 4 star hotel rated “Fabulous” by guests with a range of services to guest including a candy bar, nightly treats made by Savannah’s Candy Kitchen, and guest bicycles. It’s also located right next to the water making accessing the river front a breeze.

The Masquerade Ball

• Thursday, October 19th, 2023 – First City Pride Center, 7pm to 10pm – Kick off the Savannah Pride Festival with Masquerade on opening night. Hauntingly fabulous and all the glam, this one-of-a-kind queer masquerade will fill the streets with fabulous costume and drag to honor the legacy of Savannah’s unique arts and culture.

The Pride Parade

• Friday, October 20th, 2023, 8pm – 10pm – Enjoy a lovely night parade in balmy Savannah. Join the Savannah Pride Parade on Friday and make your way through Downtown Savannah. The parade kicks off at 8pm and makes its way down River Street, Bay and Broughton.
• Stay close to the parade at the Drayton Hotel, rated “Superb” by guests, just steps from the celebrations, with fresh decor, spacious rooms and delicious breakfast options.

The Pride Festival

• Friday, October 19th, 5 pm – Saturday, October 21st, 2023 10pm
• The main parade will end at Ellis Square. Here you will find music, performances, food and drinks and more at the Festival held during the entire weekend. The festival opens each day, with Pride After Dark performances from 8pm.

Savannah Pride: PAWRADE

• Saturday, October 21st, 2023 11 am – 12 pm – Bring your furry best friend to participate in the Pawrade! Complete with a doggie costume contest. Sign up the morning of.

Downtown Takeover

• The Downtown Takeover is a novel event for a city with just one full-time gay bar. The gay scene in Savannah is pretty much integrated into the fabric of the community, so you will find the gay boys mixing it up with their straight friends at bars and clubs across the city. But during pride weekend, things get a little different! No gayborhood. No problem! Savannah Pride turns a dozen bars into LGBTQ bars for the queerest pub crawl in the South.

The Splash Pool Party

• Worth visiting Savannah for alone! The Splash Pool Party at the Kimpton Brice Hotel is one of the most anticipated gay parties to take place in the south!

Other events

In the week leading up to the main event, Savannah Pride Festival hosts live entertainment shows, workshops, museums, and more, all in the heart of the tourist district!

Gay Savannah

• Savannah offers countless queer-friendly establishments and exciting things to do year round.
• Take a stroll through the artistic Starland District where colorful murals line the streets and unique shopping is found on every corner.
• Learn more about Savannah’s advocacy and social efforts for the LGBTQIA+ community at the First City Pride Center.
• Enjoy a night out in Historic Savannah at Club One where you can watch an entertaining cabaret – with a twist!
• Pay a visit to the Plant Riverside District with great bars and home to the stunning JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District. The city is one of the more walkable cities out there and it is highly recommended that you take to your feet and enjoy from down town to the Historic District South and the Forsyth Park area.

Hit the beach

Just 25 minutes from the centre of Savannah you will find charming Tybee Island, known as “Savannah Beach” by many locals. Home to great gay friendly bars and restaurants, the island even hots it’s one pride event know as Equality Fest, complete with a pride parade, drag shows, vip events and parties at the end of September.

Where to stay during Savannah Pride

The following hotels are currently trending with our readers:

Hilton Garden Inn,   The Marshall House,    Olde Harbour Inn,   The Alida Hotel