Last Updated on June 24, 2023, 11:57 AM | Published: June 24, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Pride Alliance (OKCPA)’s PrideFest officially began Friday, June 23rd in Downtown Oklahoma City with performances from local artists, tents and activities with vendors, and a nostalgic and show-stopping performance from this year’s headlining act.
PrideFest runs through Sunday, June 25th at Scissortail Park and is free to the public.
Let the festivities begin
There was no shortage of energy for the first night of PrideFest, as crowds gathered around to witness internationally-famous drag artists and musical artists.
This year saw more performances than ever before with two stages: the Main Stage on the Love’s Travel Stops Stage and the Pride stage located in the vendor marketplace. Other areas of the park are active through the weekend like the Family Zone near the playground and the Community Zone on the southwest side of the Robinson Lawn.
After a stormy day, the sun finally made an appearance with the start of Pride celebrations at 4:00 pm on the Main stage, featuring Man-Hol-Up followed by Big Train and the Logo Motives.
On the Pride stage, Jo James started off the night, followed by Cavari and KANPAI Taiko Drum Team.
At 6:00 pm, a group of local drag performers took the stage for a “Drag Hour,” featuring TopatÍo, Nikita, Mariah Page, SYREN!, Mystique Enchantment, Sativa Green, Maxum Delray, Anna Flactic Shoqqqq, Terra Nado Ali, and CEEJ The Troll.
Elevating drag artists in protest
This year, OKCPA officials have placed an emphasis on elevating drag artists in the face of recent legislation with language that would restrict drag artists.
Additionally, the focus has been placed on elevating trans and gender-nonconforming voices because of recent legislation like House Bill 2177 and Senate Bill 613, proposing restrictions to gender-affirming care for minors and adults.
Despite a difficult legislative session, Oklahoma City came out in full force for the opening night of PrideFest. This year’s theme is “Queer Joy: The Resistance.”
Headliners take the stage!
At 7:00, the first Pridefest featured artist Patrick Saint James took the stage by storm with original music plus a cover of Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA”. The Manchester-based LGBTQ+ pop singer-songwriter started kept the energy going into the night, as OKCPA President Kylan Durant and Vice President Samantha J. introduced the second featured artist, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season Six star and American Idol Season Six and Seven star Adore Delano.
“I remember watching RuPaul’s Drag Race freshman year and just being blown away,” Durant said.
Delano didn’t shy away from touching on political issues, urging the Oklahoma audience to stay informed and vote in local elections. She also spoke on the topic of individuality, encouraging audience members to be “as weird as they can be.”
“The very act of being who you are is punk and rebellious,” Delano said, tying into this year’s theme of “Queer Joy: The Resistance.”
After Delano’s performance, it was time for the much-anticipated Pop/Rock duo Aly and AJ. A wave of nostalgia swept over Oklahoma City, with fans of all ages singing along to classic anthems like “Potential Breakup Song”, and discovering their new sound with more recently-released songs from their 2023 album “With Love From.”
The sister duo is no stranger to social issues in recent years, including partnerships with The Trevor Project and GLAAD. However, it was revealed during their performance that this was actually their first official Pride show.
Blake Barrett, OKCPA’s parade co-chair, said he had a great time at the opening night of PrideFest, with a highlight being Aly and AJ’s performance, despite the rain from earlier in the day causing some significant mud around the stage, creating an almost Woodstock-like experience for attendees.
“This was just a great performance, even in the mud,” Barrett said.
It wasn’t just Oklahoma residents that came out in support of Pride. Carmen Paquette came from Chicago just for PrideFest and said her experience was “fantastic and fabulous.” She grew up in Oklahoma and was struck by the differences over the years.
“I’m really proud of Oklahoma,” Paquette said. “I’m proud to see what Oklahoma has become and what the Pride Alliance has become.”
Saturday and Sunday activities
Friday was just the start of a stacked weekend of Pride Festivities.
This year, OKCPA officials have put a focus on wellness in the LGBTQ+ community. Saturday, June 24th starts off with activities like yoga and Zumba on the Main stage. In Lower Scissortail Park, guests can play soccer as part of the OKCPA partnership with Energy FC and basketball as a partnership with the OKC Thunder.
Meanwhile, the Youth Zone, will be active with a poetry slam, dance party, and book drive, and “the Royal Resistance,” a youth pageant and drag performances for ages 13-20 judged by Yakisoba Zay Michaels, Kronie Khalil, and Lucki Paige Brooks.
The Community Zone will also be open on Saturday. Organizations include the Diversity Center of Oklahoma, PrEP in the Park, and SISU Youth.
Saturday includes a performance on the main stage from featured artist Nashville-based Pop singer-songwriter MYYLO, which will be followed by another Drag Hour featuring TopatÍo, Yakisoba Zay Michaels, Q, Trans Ginger, Absinthe, Kronie Khalil, Saturn, Public Universal Cuaima, and Liv N Lene.
Main Stage, Saturday, June 24th
9:00 am – YogaSix
10:00 am – Empowerhouse
11:30 am – Rumble Boxing
1:00 pm – The Sultry Femmes
2:00 pm – Ma’kellah
2:30 pm – stepmom
3:30 pm – Big Body Kweeng
4:00 pm – Si’yir
4:30 pm – K.O.
5:00 pm – KORA WAVES
6:00 pm – Nia Moné FT. Lincka
7:00 pm – MYYLO
8:00 pm – Drag Hour
9:00 pm – CAMP URBAN PRIDE
10:00 pm – DJ ICE
Event Pavillion (Youth Zone) Saturday, June 24th
8:00 – 10:00 am – CycleBar
12:00 pm – Poetry and Chill
1:00 pm – Dance Party and Book Drive
2:30 pm – The Royal Resistance
5:30 pm – Yumare Folklorico
Pride Stage, June 24th
10:00 am – YMCA Yoga
11:00 am – YMCA Zumba
3:00 pm – Xantheartist
3:30 pm – Levi Jack
4:00 pm – BROOKS
4:30 pm – Gizele Monáe
5:00 pm – Poetry and Chill (Band)
7:00 pm – Oklahoma Latin Pride Union: Idalee D. Lush, Andres D’Lorenzo, Mayra D’Lorenzo, Alexa Cavalli, and DJ Niño
Lower Scissortail, June 24th
10:00 am – Soccer
12:00 pm – Youth Basketball
Vendors and VIP perks
While much of this year’s PrideFest features performances, there are plenty of opportunities to leisurely peruse the vendors.
Victoria Garcia manned a booth for a local business selling prints, stickers, charms and other local artwork with their friend, Elise Dabney.
The pair actually met at Pridefest last year, so this was a special reunion for the two of them.
“The atmosphere around Pride every year is amazing, not even as a vendor, just as an attendee of Pride, just to see everyone in the Queer community come together,” Garcia said.
The vendor market is open Saturday, June 24 from 12:00 pm-9:00 and June 25th from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
This year, the official Parade sponsor is the local clothing store Shop Good. The Shop Good team also designed the shirts for this year, which are available to purchase at the Pride headquarters tent at the shop in Automobile Alley.
OKCPA is offering a VIP experience this year, complete with access to the VIP tent and lounge, open bar access, snacks from local eateries like Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Paseo Grill, Toast and Coffee, and a secured spot near the Main Stage. Attendees don’t have to be VIPs to enjoy local brews. This year’s PrideFest features a Beirgarten, with local beers available for purchase.
The Parade
The Parade takes place at 11:00 am June 25th, starting on Walker Ave from Robert S. Kerr and ending at South Robinson Ave. It will be led by Grand Marshalls Kelley Blair and Nicole McAfee. Parade viewing will be available along the route, as will dedicated viewing areas.
After the parade, a drag brunch will be on the Main Stage. VIP ticket holders receive access to the Pride Brunch, with food catered from the Jones Assembly and performances from Lucki Paige Brooks, Tiffany Royal Lopez Diamondz, Q, Yakisoba Zay Michaels, Mariah Page, Syren!, Absinthe, Allen Wrench, Peter Vincent Price, Anna Flactic Shoqqq, Kronie Khalil, Holly Wood Hills, Terra Nado Ali, CEEJ The Troll, Trans Ginger, and Mystique Enchantment.
Main stage on Sunday, June 25
12:00 pm – OKC Ballet Studio Company
1:00 pm- Storytime with May Lynn
1:30 pm – Drag Brunch
The end of June wraps up a full month of Pride events, with everything from sober dance parties to soccer clubs. While Pridefest may come to a close Sunday night, Friday night showed a spirit of activism that lasts all year around Oklahoma City.
Earlier in the night, OKCPA Vice President Samantha J. addressed the crowd between performances, stating “you being here tonight is resistance and queer joy,” a sentiment that spoke volumes to the crowd gathered at PrideFest in support of a shared value.
Zoe Travers has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks. She is also Oklahoma City’s most enthusiastic connoisseur of cheese danishes.
