Atlanta Pride Festival and Parade: dates, route, parking

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts come from the organizer, the Atlanta Pride Committee: its festival FAQs, parade and marches page, 2026 official events schedule and news page. This page is updated for each year’s festival at the same address.

Atlanta Pride 2026 is over. Storms canceled the Saturday program, and the parade and festival went ahead on Sunday, Oct. 11. The organizer has not announced dates for 2027. The festival is held every year on the second full weekend of October in Piedmont Park, and it is free. This page will be updated when the 2027 dates are published. The organizer says the festival draws more than 350,000 visitors and calls it the largest Pride celebration in the Southeast.

Updated Oct. 12: on Friday, Oct. 9, the Atlanta Pride Committee canceled all Saturday, Oct. 10, programming in Piedmont Park because of the threat of severe weather. On Saturday it said the parade would step off at noon Sunday and the Marketplace would open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. as planned, with a revised stage lineup closing with the Starlight Cabaret. Saturday-only Premium Passes were honored Sunday. The schedule below is the 2026 plan as published before the weather change, kept as a record of what the festival offers.

Know before you go

• When: 2027 dates not yet announced; the 2026 festival was Oct. 10-11
• Where: Piedmont Park, 1320 Monroe Drive NE, Midtown
• Cost: free; Premium Passes sold separately
• Getting there: MARTA, Midtown or Arts Center station; parking is very limited
• Pets: not allowed (ADA service animals only)
• Organizer: Atlanta Pride Committee, 404-382-7588, info@atlantapride.org, atlantapride.org

When and where

The festival takes place every year on the second full weekend of October, around National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. Atlanta Pride moved to October in 2009 because of park scheduling limits during a drought, the organizer says. The 2026 festival theme is “Louder & Prouder.”

Everything happens in and around Piedmont Park. Enter through the 12th or 14th Street gates off Piedmont Avenue, or the Charles Allen Drive Gate off 10th Street, across from Midtown High School. The Atlanta Beltline enters the north end of the park near Piedmont Commons and the south end at 10th Street and Monroe Drive. Source: Atlanta Pride FAQs.

Setup in the park runs Monday, Oct. 5, through Friday, Oct. 9, and teardown Monday, Oct. 12, through Wednesday, Oct. 14, so parts of the park are busy all week.

The 2026 schedule

From the organizer’s official events list:

The Starlight Cabaret has closed the festival on the Coca-Cola stage since 1989, and the organizer calls it the largest outdoor drag show in the U.S. The AIDS Memorial Quilt display is weather permitting. The full music and stage lineup is on the Atlanta Pride entertainment page.

The parade and marches

The Atlanta Pride Parade steps off at noon Sunday, Oct. 11, from the Civic Center MARTA station. It heads north on Peachtree Street, turns east on 10th Street and ends at the Charles Allen Gate of Piedmont Park. Assembly starts at 8 a.m. Streets on the route are fully closed for the four-hour event, and 10th Street stays closed for an hour afterward while crowds clear. No ticket is needed to watch. Popular viewing spots are Peachtree Street, 10th Street and near the park; arrive before noon for a good spot. Atlanta News First broadcasts the parade live. Source: Atlanta Pride, parade and marches.

The three Saturday marches (Trans, Bi+ Pan and Dyke) each leave from the Charles Allen Gate, go down 10th Street, turn right on Peachtree Street, come back along 14th Street and re-enter the park, ending at the 12th Street Gate. Each has a rally 30 minutes before it steps off.

Road closures and parking

• 10th Street between Charles Allen Drive and Monroe Drive is closed to cars from Friday to Sunday. The 10th Street cycle track stays open.
• Saturday afternoon: rolling closures on 10th, Peachtree and 14th streets for the marches.
• Sunday: the parade route in Downtown and Midtown is fully closed during the parade.
• Parking: limited paid parking at the SAGE Parking Facility near the park fills quickly. Street parking around the park is restricted, many streets carry “Emergency No Festival Parking” signs, and the Atlanta Police Department may ticket or tow.
• Rideshare pickup: Piedmont Avenue south of 8th Street, and 8th Street between Charles Allen Drive and Monroe Drive.
• E-scooters: none allowed in the park, and the city geofences scooters around the park from Wednesday, Oct. 7, to Monday, Oct. 12.

MARTA

The organizer strongly encourages MARTA. Midtown station (10th Street) and Arts Center station (15th Street) are closest to the park. From Midtown, walk east on 10th Street to the park; from Arts Center, walk one block south on West Peachtree Street, then east on 14th Street for three blocks to the 14th Street Gate. For the parade, Civic Center station is at the start of the route, and North Avenue and Midtown stations are along it. MARTA information: 404-848-5000, itsmarta.com.

What to know

• Pets: not allowed. The City of Atlanta bans pets at Class A festivals; ADA service animals are the exception.
• Bring: lawn chairs, umbrellas, blankets and small wagons are fine. Tents only in marked areas, with no stakes. Anything left overnight is removed.
• Not allowed: glass bottles, outside alcohol, grills, drones, smoking and vaping (banned in all city parks). The organizer asks you to leave weapons at home and avoid bringing coolers.
• Money: there are no ATMs in the park; most vendors take cards.
• Rain: the festival goes ahead rain or shine unless severe weather forces changes; updates go out on Atlanta Pride’s social media.
• Families: all ages are welcome. The Family Fun Zone at the Picnic Pavilion has Drag Story Hour at noon Saturday, and the Teen Lounge for ages 11 to 17 is on the Greystone patio, 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday.
• Accessibility: many paved paths, accessible viewing at the main stage, and a Wellness Zone for people who need a quiet break. There is no mobility cart service in the park.
• Lost and found: Operations Headquarters in the Greystone Pool House. Items not collected by 10 p.m. Sunday go to the Atlanta Police Department.

Frequently asked questions

When is Atlanta Pride 2027? The organizer has not announced 2027 dates. The festival is held every year on the second full weekend of October in Piedmont Park, around National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. The 2026 festival was Oct. 10-11.

Is Atlanta Pride free? Yes. The festival and the parade are free and open to the public. Premium Passes with a lounge and private restrooms are sold separately.

What is the Atlanta Pride Parade route? The parade steps off at noon Sunday from the Civic Center MARTA station, goes north on Peachtree Street, turns east on 10th Street and ends at the Charles Allen Gate of Piedmont Park.

Can I bring my dog to Atlanta Pride? No. The City of Atlanta does not allow pets at Class A festivals, including Pride. ADA service animals are the only exception.

Where do I park for Atlanta Pride? Parking is very limited. The organizer recommends MARTA: Midtown and Arts Center stations are closest to the park, and Civic Center, North Avenue and Midtown stations are on the parade route.

What this means for you

• On festival weekend, if you live or drive in Midtown, expect 10th Street closed Friday through Sunday and the parade route shut Sunday from about noon into the afternoon.
• Take MARTA. Do not park on neighborhood streets with festival signs.
• Leave the dog at home and bring a card, not cash from an ATM.

Related: things to do in Atlanta this weekend, getting around and parking, road construction and closures, walking and biking trails and live music and nightlife.