In a powerful and affirming gesture, Pittsburgh City Council has officially declared Sunday, June 1, 2025 as Pittsburgh Pride Day. The proclamation, passed on May 29, celebrates the city’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ community and honors its legacy of resistance, resilience, and radical love.
“Love is love, and human rights are not negotiable,” the proclamation reads, an echo of the bold truths our communities have shouted from rooftops, marched in the streets for, and built generations of queer joy around.
This year’s Pittsburgh Pride March and Parade will kick off on Liberty Avenue at 11th Street and wind its way to Allegheny Commons Park West, where the celebration will continue with live entertainment, food trucks, local vendors, and a whole lot of queer magic. It’s a day to be visible, be loud, and be unapologetically ourselves in a city that’s stepping up to affirm our place in its present and its future.
Sponsored by Councilwoman Theresa Kail Smith and backed by the full Council, it reflects Pittsburgh’s commitment to standing on the side of justice, inclusion, and dignity for all. With co-sponsorship from councilmembers across the city, this resolution recognizes that while we’ve made progress, the work is far from over.
The proclamation lifts up the legacy of struggle that built Pride and the continued need to protect and expand queer rights. It reminds us that Pittsburgh has always had queer heroes on the frontlines of activism, in our neighborhoods, our nightclubs, our chosen families, and in City Hall.
So on June 1, come out and celebrate you. Celebrate the community that raised you, the trailblazers who made this moment possible, and the future we’re still fighting for. From the rainbow flags waving on Liberty Avenue to the beats thumping in the park, Pittsburgh Pride Day is for all of us—every letter, every intersection, every heartbeat.
It’s official: Pittsburgh is proud.
Full text of the proclamation:
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh celebrates the strength, courage, and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community, whose history is one of struggle, visibility, and pride; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh Pride Day honors the countless individuals who have fought—and continue to fight—for equality, dignity, and the freedom to live authentically, reminding us that love is love, and human rights are not negotiable; and,
WHEREAS, the Pride March and Parade will be held on June 1beginning on Liberty Avenue at 11th Street, and will end at Allegheny Commons Park West. The celebration will continue at Allegheny Commons Park West with live entertainment, food trucks, local vendors and more; and,
WHEREAS, the people of Pittsburgh have a proud legacy of standing for justice and human rights, defending the inherent and inalienable Constitutional rights of all citizens, and rejecting intolerance in all its forms; and,
WHEREAS, the Pride celebration not only commemorates the groundbreaking achievements of LGBTQIA+ individuals but also reaffirms our collective commitment to building a city that is inclusive, equitable, and welcoming for all; and,
WHEREAS, we recognize that while much progress has been made, the work of achieving full equality and safety for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community must continue with urgency, compassion, and solidarity; and,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby call upon all residents to celebrate the diversity that strengthens our city and to continue striving toward a future where everyone is free to live, love, and thrive; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Sunday, June 1, 2025 to be “Pittsburgh Pride Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.
Passed in Council on Thursday, May 29, 2025.
R. Daniel Lavelle
President of Council
Attest: Kimberly Clark-Baskin, CMC
City Clerk
SPONSORED BY: COUNCILWOMAN THERESA KAIL SMITH
CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Bob Charland, Anthony Coghill, Deborah Gross, R. Daniel Lavelle,
Khari Mosley, Erika Strassburger, Barb Warwick and Bobby Wilson
