EVENTS

Be Part of HoCo Pride!

Sunday, November 1, 2026 (NEW DATE)

Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods

10431 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD

Doors open at 11:00 - 5:00 pm

HoCo Pride is coming, and we want YOU to be part of the celebration! Join us for a vibrant day of community, connection, inclusion, and pride. Whether you’re attending with friends and family, showcasing your organization, supporting the event as a sponsor, or volunteering your time, there’s a place for everyone at HoCo Pride.

Register Today — Free Tickets Available!

Don’t wait! Registration is open now, and we encourage everyone planning to attend to register early. Tickets are free, but registration helps us plan for the celebration and ensures you have everything you need to enjoy the day.

👉 Register for Your Free Tickets / RSVP

Become a Vendor, Food Truck, or Exhibitor

Want to connect with the HoCo Pride community? We’d love to have you join us! Vendors, food trucks, nonprofits, community organizations, businesses, and exhibitors are invited to be part of the event and share what you do with attendees.

Become a Vendor, Food Truck, or Exhibitor

Become a Sponsor

Your support helps make HoCo Pride possible! Sponsorship is a meaningful way for businesses, organizations, and community partners to demonstrate their commitment to inclusion and support the LGBTQ+ community in Howard County.

Learn About Sponsorship Opportunities

Volunteer With Us

HoCo Pride happens because of an amazing community of volunteers. Whether you can help before the event or lend a hand on the day of Pride, we’d love to have you on the team. Come meet new people, support your community, and help us create an incredible experience for everyone.

Sign Up to Volunteer

Entertainers

Are you a singer, musician, DJ, drag performer, dance group, spoken-word artist, comedian, or other performer interested in entertaining at HoCo Pride or other affiliated events? We’d love to hear from you! We’re currently looking for talented entertainers who would like to be part of this year’s celebration. If you’re interested, please complete our Entertainment Interest Form and include a video, audio clip, soundtrack, or other sample of your work so our team can get to know your style and consider you for the event.

Complete Entertainment Interest Form

We Can’t Wait to Celebrate With You!

Bring your friends, bring your family, and bring your Pride! Register for your free tickets today, and help us spread the word. The more people who come together, the more powerful our celebration of love, diversity, and community becomes.

See you at HoCo Pride! 🌈

Join our First Annual Rainbow Pride Parade! Everyone is invited!

Vendors, exhibitors, community partners, organizations, clubs, and guests are all invited to join us in making this a vibrant celebration of our diverse Pride community. Whether you are marching, carrying a flag, walking with your organization, wearing an inflatable, dressing in your best rainbow outfit, or simply joining in the celebration, we want you there! And yes, furries are welcome! Every individual who wants to participate must complete their own application. Click here to participate in the Rainbow Pride Parade.

Calling All Marching Band Musicians! We are hoping to put together a marching band to bring even more energy and excitement to our first annual parade! Click here to join the marching band.

Become a Flag Bearer We are also seeking flag bearers to represent the beautiful diversity of our Pride community. Help us celebrate the many identities, communities, and experiences that make our Pride community so special. Click here to become a flag bearer.

Click here for more information including what you can and cannot bring.

Trans Memorial 

Join us at HoCo Pride as we come together to remember and honor the transgender individuals we have lost over the past year.

The Trans Memorial will be open throughout the day, offering a quiet space to reflect, view photos, learn about the individuals we remember, and honor their lives and legacies.

At 11:30 AM, we will gather for the 'Reading of the Names' a time to collectively mourn, remember, and honor those who are no longer with us.

Whether you join us for the reading or visit the memorial at another time during the day, we invite you to take a moment, learn their stories, and remember with us.

We remember. We honor. We will not forget.

We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful part of HoCo Pride.

Check out some of our past events!

2025 Events

  • Join HoCo Pride for PRIDE NIGHT at Toby’s for 9 to 5 The Musical!

    With music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, 9 to 5 is based on the smash hit movie. Three unlikely friends take control of their office and learn there is nothing they can’t do! Pushed to the boiling point, the female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot!

  • Ride the rainbow to the HoCo Pride Happy Hour at Union Jack’s on Pi Day—Friday, March 14! Join us starting at 5:30 PM for an evening of fun, community, and celebration.

    Enjoy complimentary appetizers, desserts, and non-alcoholic beverages while sipping on our Pride Drink Special (available for purchase). Plus, don’t miss out on our Pi-themed raffles in honor of the day!

    Cost: $10 ($5 for students)
    Volunteers: If you've volunteered with us this year, we’d love to thank you with free admission! (And if you’re 21+, enjoy a free drink on us!) Contact Alex@howardcountypride.org to let him know you’ll be joining.

    The celebration continues at 8:00 PM with free admission to Union Jack’s live Irish band—because why stop the party?

    All ages welcome! (Alcohol will be served for 21+)

    Tag your crew and let’s make this a night to remember!

  • OEC Pride is partnering with Union Jacks for a fabulous fundraiser! Drag all night, fierce queens, and a sizzling Drag auction. Don’t miss the sparkle! Come support OEC Pride. The show starts at 6:30 pm, doors open at 4:00.

  • Join us for the 5th annual OEC Pride. Held in the courthouse parking lot and the Inn at Mt. Ida. We will have music, drag, food trucks, vendors, games, tie dye, beer garden and more. Bring the family and while here, participate in our scavenger hunt in OEC for great prizes. This is a free event.

  • Join HoCo Pride for a Loud and Proud Happy Hour to help raise money for Howard County Pride. There will be drink specials, raffles, drag show and more. The event is free but we do ask you to register and donations are appreciated.

    If weather allows, the event will be held outside on the patio.

  • Join the Inner Arbor Trust and HoCo Pride for a vibrant day filled with music, dance, games, food, and resources that honor and uplift our LGBTQIA2S+ community. Everyone is welcome at this free, family-friendly festival to celebrate how far we've come and continue the work of building and fighting for a more inclusive, safe, and thriving community!
    Highlights include:
    Music, drag performances, aerialists, and more on stage!
    Small businesses and independent creators
    Local food trucks, food stalls, and concessions!
    Community organizations and non-profits providing resources, information, and support
    Games and crafts

2024 Events

  • Awards Ceremony Pride Pet Parade Pet Costume Contest Drag Story Time Crafts Games lots of pride fun!

  • This year, we are celebrating Finding Vibrance Everywhere at our 5th annual HoCo Pride Festival!!

    Our Pride festival is a vibrant, family-friendly event that brings together people from all walks of life to celebrate diversity, promote equality, and foster a sense of community. The festival will feature a variety of activities, including live music, entertainment, vendors, food trucks, and games.

    Our goal is to create a welcoming space where everyone can feel proud of who they are and who they love.

2023 Events

  • Thank you for such a wonderful event of games, mingling, and making new friends!

  • Our inaugural launch of our 2 art competitions: submit your work for a chance to see your art decorate the streets ahead of Pride!

  • Our inaugural T-Shirt Art Competition for K-12! In partnership with HCPSS and HCL, we are excited to offer students the opportunity to see their art on our merch!

  • We are very excited about our First Annual HoCo Pride Restaurant Week. Thank you to all the restaurants that have joined us as partners this week+ by showing their support by supporting HoCo Pride. Each restaurant will be donating a certain percentage of their proceeds that night to support HoCo Pride. We hope you can join us for our kickoff event at The White Oak Tavern on June 11 and we encourage you to visit are other PRIDE supporters throughout the week. To see all participating restaurants and specials, click here. Please note that some restaurant will require you to bring a flyer or share that you are there supporting HoCo Pride.

  • Join us on Friday, June 23, 2023 from 8-10pm for a night filled with love and powerful performances! This Open Mic is open to anyone who would like to perform. Hosted by the fabulous Bella Naughty!

  • Chalk! Tie Dye! Lawn Games! And more!

    Join us Sunday, June 25 from 6:30-8:30pm at Colorburst Park in the Merriweather district for a fun evening in the park! At 7:30pm, we will also be presenting 3 community engagement awards and announcing the winner of our T-Shirt Art Competition!

  • HoCo Pride was proud to present this years HoCo Pride Festival on Sunday, October 15, 2023!

    Thank you for joining us in Symphony Woods @ Merriweather park from 11-4pm for amazing fun, festivities, and entertainment!

Past 2024 Events

PAST 2023 EVENTS:

*Events are added as they are announced/planned! Please check back regularly for updates!