Only nine people attended Salem’s first march for gay rights at the Capitol building in 1978, with many staying away for fear of backlash from their neighbors or employers.

Nearly two decades later, in 1996, Salem’s first Pride parade drew about 200 to the city streets. 

Today, the event shuts down several downtown city blocks to accommodate the thousands of people who come out to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride and visibility.

On Saturday, June 13, Salem’s biggest annual Pride Month celebration, a parade and block party, hosted by Salem Capital Pride, is expected to draw more than 2,000 people. 

The block party will run from 12 – 5 p.m. It will cover two blocks of State Street near the U.S. Bank building, 302 State St. The parade will also be at noon, with lineup starting at 11:15 a.m. on Northeast Waverly Street near the Capitol building, 900 Court St. N.E.

The parade starts at noon, and marchers will go at a slow pace, both for accessibility and to offer time for reflection about those who marched in decades past.

“A part of the reason it’s slow is not only to be accommodating, but it’s meant to provide a time of reflection to think about all the people that came before us, whose shoulders we stand upon. All those people who did have to fight to be seen and be heard, and be accepted in society, so that we can be where we are,” said Salem Capital Pride President Mathew Oldfield.

This will be Salem Capital Pride’s third year organizing the Pride parade and block party. For over two decades, the nonprofit has hosted LGBTQ+ events, offered classes and programs and connected the community with resources. It also puts on the annual Pride in the Park event in the fall. 

Line up for the parade starts at 11:15 a.m. Filled with colorful floats, decorated cars, entertainers, music and pride flags, the processions will span seven blocks, lasting around 30 minutes, Oldfield estimated. 

The route starts at Northeast Waverly Street, near the Capitol, then goes down Northeast Court Street and ends at the block party area on State Street between Liberty and Front Streets.

Spectators can watch the parade from sidewalks anywhere along the route as the high-energy celebration moves to the block party area. Saturday is expected to reach a high of 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

“(People) get so excited they forget to put sunscreen on – so I think that’s the kind of energy people come to this with,” Oldfield said. “It’s just a really great chance for them to know that they’re surrounded by community.”

The block party also kicks off at noon, and organizers have more than doubled the amount of free activities this year.

There will be face painting, bracelet and zine making stations, and educational games including LGBTQ+ legal trivia hosted by Marion County Justice of the Peace Justin Kidd. Visitors can also learn how to toss a ball with the Salem Rugby Attack Owls and fill in a giant community paint-by-number from the Salem-Keizer Public Schools Pride Council. 

The party will have live performances throughout the day, starting at 12:50 p.m.

Entertainment will include drag performances from Lylac, HottBoxx9000 and Cherry Mae, music from Miss Smith’s Queertet and dance from Arm Candy. 

Food vendors will have a variety of options, including Guam and Mexican cuisines, hot dogs, dirty sodas, mocktails and lemonades. 

Road closures for the parade will include parts of Northeast Court Street, Northeast High Street and State Street from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The block party area on State Street between Front and Liberty Streets will be closed to traffic until 6 p.m.

See the event website for more information.

Correction: This story was updated to correct the title of Marion County Justice of the Peace Justin Kidd. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error.

Have a news tip? Contact reporter Hailey Cook: [email protected] .

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