The 25th annual Chattanooga Pride Festival drew an enthusiastic crowd to Ross’s Landing on Sunday, October 5, as the city celebrated love, identity, and community during LGBTQ+ History Month.
The festival, which ran from 2 to 8 p.m., featured live music, drag performances, food trucks, local vendors, and family-friendly activities. The day began with the Pride Parade at 1 p.m., starting from the Unum Parking Lot at Ross’s Landing.
“Fantastic turnout at this year’s Chattanooga Pride Parade,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “We love our neighbors in Chattanooga, and you could really feel the love today.”
This year’s celebration held special significance as attendees from Knoxville joined the festivities after Knox Pride Fest 2025 was abruptly cancelled just days before it was scheduled to take place on October 3-4.
John Camp, Knox Pride’s president, announced the cancellation in a Facebook video on October 1, explaining that organizers were unable to secure liability insurance at the last minute.
“I know this is disheartening, disappointing and upsetting for a lot of folks,” Camp said, expressing hope that the Knoxville community would travel to support Chattanooga’s celebration.
The Knox Pride cancellation announcement sparked intense online debate, with a Facebook post from local news reporter Kyle Grainger drawing nearly 4,000 comments ranging from supportive messages to expressions of hate and judgment directed at the LGBTQ+ community.
Mayor Kelly emphasized Chattanooga’s welcoming spirit ahead of the festival: “Chattanooga is a kind, welcoming city where we want all our neighbors to know that they belong and are loved.”
The week-long series of events leading up to Sunday’s festival included drag shows, wrestling, drag bingo, outdoor games, and yoga, catering to diverse age groups and interests.
October serves as LGBTQ+ History Month in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Founded in 1994 by Missouri high school teacher Rodney Wilson, the month was strategically chosen to coincide with National Coming Out Day on October 11 and the anniversaries of historic marches on Washington for LGBTQ+ rights in 1979 and 1987.
The observance is distinct from Pride Month, celebrated in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots–the catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.