ALTON - Alton Pride’s Festival is next weekend, and the organization couldn’t be more excited.
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The fourth annual pride festival, hosted by Alton Pride, will feature vendors, food trucks, drag shows, live music and additional fun from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in downtown Alton on Belle Street. Kole Harre, a board member with Alton Pride, noted that the free festival is growing “a little bit bigger each year,” and they are excited for another fun day.
“Visibility is huge,” Harre said. “That’s one of our three pillars. Community and connection are two of the three. Making sure people know that they’re supported, there are people out there like them — it’s definitely the visibility of it. Bringing people together, that’s our main goal.”
The festivities kick off at 11 a.m. at the main stage in front of Bubby and Sissy’s in Alton. Mayor David Goins will give a brief speech, and Alton Pride board members will welcome the community to the festival.
This will be followed by a pet parade at 11:30 a.m., and then Fabulous Freebirds will take the stage at 12 p.m. A drag performance will take place at 2:30 p.m. Flip the Frog will round out the music at 4 p.m., and a second drag performance is scheduled for 6 p.m. On the south stage, D.J. Mego will spin tunes and Cottage Hill Wrestling Alliance will perform throughout the afternoon.
There will also be vendors and resource booths available. Food trucks and drink vendors will be onsite.
This year’s festival theme is “Together We Rise.” Harre explained this theme is a play on the festival’s proximity to the Mississippi River and coming together as a community to “rise up.”
They noted that Alton Pride is growing, with more board members and volunteers than ever before. In addition to the main festival every September, the organization gives out two scholarships and hosts events throughout the year to encourage resilience and community.
“We love to do that kind of stuff, because it's not just about a festival once a year,” Harre said, adding, “We’re looking forward to it.”
For more information about the upcoming Alton Pride Festival, check out the official webpage or the official Facebook event page. Visit the official Alton Pride website at AltonPride.com or their official Facebook page.
