The Timeline of Triumph: Celebrating Yakima's Rich LGBTQ+ History

Yakima's LGBTQ+ community has made tremendous strides, growing from humble beginnings into a vibrant, proud force for inclusivity. While there have been challenges, our spirit has only grown stronger.

In the late 80's and early 90s, a few brave souls held informal gatherings, planting the first seeds of visibility. Since then, our community has blossomed through dedication and resilience.

In 2018, we rejoiced as over 500 people attended Yakima's Pride Festival & Parade.

In 2019, the nonprofit Yakima Pride was established by 4 strong community members, formalizing efforts to support LGBTQ+ people. That same year, the crowd at Yakima Pride's Festival & Parade swelled to over 1,100 as acceptance spread. Pride events expanded to uplift LGBTQ+ youth and families.

Though 2020's pandemic forced cancellation, it could not suppress our pride. Yakima Pride's leaders secured funding to sustain our community. We persevered through ingenuity and compassion.

Emerging with renewed energy, 2021 and 2022 brought accomplishments, partnerships, and grants to empower local LGBTQ+ organizations. 2021 marked the return of beloved in-person events, while 2022 saw record attendance and recognition. Our celebrations returned bigger than ever, with the Festival & Parade breaking attendance records.

In 2023 and beyond, our work continues as we look to the future.

While our full story is still unfolding, our message is clear - Yakima Pride is here to stay! We have moved from margins to mainstream, creating an oasis of inclusion for LGBTQ+ people across the Valley.

With roots planted deep and branches reaching higher than ever, our Timeline of Triumph continues. Together, we inspire wellness, belonging, and joy for all identities. Yakima Pride - we've come so far, and the best is yet to come!

Saturday, July 1, 2023 - Relocated Yakima Pride Office - Valley Mall

• 2529 Main Street, Suite 236., Union Gap WA 98903 MAP

Saturday, June 10th - Yakima Pride Festival & Parade

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Between E Yakima Ave and E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.  MAP

Saturday, May 27th - Rainbow Prom

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

Saturday, September 23  - Pride Day At The Fair

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

Saturday, TBD - Pride Day At The Fair

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Central Washington State Fair, 1301 South Fair Ave., Yakima, WA 98908

Saturday, June 18th - Yakima Pride Festival & Parade

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Between E Yakima Ave and E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.  MAP

Saturday, June 6th - Rainbow Community Crosswalks Installation

• Funded by Yakima Pride

• Pendleton Way & N Naches Ave MAP

Saturday, May 28th - Rainbow Prom

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Centennial Ballroom at the Yakima Valley Museum, 2105 Tieton Drive., Yakima, WA 98902

Saturday, October 30th - Rainbow Prom, Yakima Valley Museum

• Canceled: Officially canceled amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

Saturday, October 2nd - Pride Day At The Fair, Central Washington State Fair

• Canceled: Officially canceled amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

Saturday, September 18th - Yakima Pride Festival & Parade, Naches Parkway

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Between E Yakima Ave and E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.  MAP

Saturday, August 21st - Yakima Pride Festival & Parade, Naches Parkway

• Postponed: Reschedule amid extreme smoke (wild fire) concerns.

Tuesday, June 22nd - ArtsFund, in partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce, Nonprofit Community Recovery (NCR) grant

• Yakima Pride, Grant Recipient

Saturday, June 19th - Yakima Pride Festival & Parade, Naches Parkway

• Postponed: Reschedule amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

Saturday, May 29th - Rainbow Prom

• Postponed: Reschedule amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

Saturday, September 17th - Pride Day At The Fair

• Canceled: Central Washington State Fair officially canceled amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Central Washington State Fair, 1301 South Fair Ave., Yakima, WA 98908

Saturday, June 20th - Yakima Pride Festival & Parade 

• Canceled: Officially canceled amid corona virus concerns.

• Between E Yakima Ave and E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.  MAP

Saturday, May 30th - Rainbow Prom

• Canceled: Officially canceled amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

• Centennial Ballroom at the Yakima Valley Museum, 2105 Tieton Drive., Yakima, WA 98902

Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 - Official Yakima Pride office established

• 15 N Naches Ave Ste 21., Yakima, WA 98901 MAP

Saturday, December 14th, 2019 - Pride of the Folk: A Conversation on LGBTQ+ Tradition in the Yakima Valley

• presented by Humanities Washington and The Center for Washington State Cultural Traditions

• West Valley Community Library, 223 S 72nd Ave., Yakima, Washington 98908

Saturday, June 8th, 2019 - Yakima Pride Festival & Parade, Naches Parkway

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Fiscal sponsor, Between the Ridges

• Performance Park, 100 Pendleton Way, Yakima, WA 98901

Friday, June 7th - Yakima Pride is an official a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

• Received IRS Determination Letter. Effective date of exemption: May 17, 2019

Friday, May 17th - Yakima Pride applied for tax-exempt status.

• Submitted IRS 501(c)(3) application.

Thursday, May, 16th, 2019 - Rainbow Prom

• Hosted by Yakima Pride

• Centennial Ballroom at the Yakima Valley Museum, 2105 Tieton Drive., Yakima, WA 98902

The information below was gathered from various online sources and community contributions.

If you have information on previous LGBTQ+ events and celebrations of Pride in the Yakima Valley, we would love to hear about it!

We are committed to document Central Washingtons LGBTQ+ history.

If you have any promotional materials, photos, posters, etc., you are welcome to donate them to the Yakima Prides' Timeline Of Triumph for all to see!

The accuracy of the information is subject to change as more accurate data is researched and discovered. 

Please Email hello@yakimapride.org to tell your story or make a historic donation.

• Saturday, June 2nd - Yakima Pride Fest & March

  • Hosted by Act Yakima

  • Performance Park, 100 Pendleton Way, Yakima, WA 98901

• Saturday, June 17th - Yakima Pride Fest & March

  • Hosted by Act Yakima

  • Performance Park, 100 Pendleton Way, Yakima, WA 98901

• Saturday, July 25th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park

  • Hosted by 

  • Chesterly Park 600-1599 River Road., Yakima, Washington 98902

• Saturday, July 27th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park

  • Hosted by 1st Fridays, GayYakima.com

  • Franklin Park, 2101 Tieton Dr, Yakima, WA 98902 

• Saturday, July 30th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park

  • Hosted by 1st Fridays, Gayakima.com

  • Franklin Park, 2101 Tieton Dr, Yakima, WA 98902 

  • Pride Dance

    • Howard Johnson Hotel, 9 N 9th St. Yakima, WA

  • You Make the Difference Awards

    • Howard Johnson Hotel, 9 N 9th St. Yakima, WA 

• Sunday, June 14th - Central Washington Diversity Coalition Pride Family Barbecue and Shindig

  • Hosted by 

  • Club 54, 2014 S. First St., Yakima, WA.

  • Worship Service

    • Rainbow Cathedral Metropolitan Community Church, 225 N. 2nd St. (in the Unitarian Universalist Church)

• Saturday, June 13th - Yakima Pride Fest

  • Hosted by Rainbow Cathedral Metropolitan Community Church

  • Franklin Park, 2101 Tieton Dr, Yakima, WA 98902

  • Rainbow Pride Dance

    • Rainbow Cathedral Metropolitan Community Church, 225 N. 2nd St. (in the Unitarian Universalist Church)

• Saturday, June 14th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park

  • Hosted by 1st Fridays, Gayakima.com

  • Fulbright Park, 4508 Main St., Union Gap, WA.

  • Pride Dance

    • Howard Johnson Plaza, 9 N. 9th St., Yakima, WA

• Saturday, June 9th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park

  • Hosted by 1st Fridays, Gayakima.com

  • Fulbright Park, 4508 Main St., Union Gap, WA.

• Saturday, June 10th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park

  • Hosted by 1st Fridays, Gayakima.com

  • Fulbright Park, 4508 Main St., Union Gap, WA.

  • Pride Dance

    • 8 West Washington in Yakima, WA

  • You Make the Difference Awards

    • 8 West Washington., Yakima, WA

• Sunday, June 12th - Pride Worship and Continental breakfast

  • Hosted by 1st Fridays, Gayakima.com

  • 223 North 1st Street, Yakima. Proceeds go to the new LGBT youth support group, Y.O.U.

• Saturday, June 11th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park

  • Hosted by 1st Fridays, Gayakima.com

  • Fulbright Park, 4508 Main St., Union Gap, WA.

  • Seattle Gay News, First Fridays, Club 54, Holiday Inn Express, and the American Lung Association-WA

  • Pride Dance

    • Club 54, 2014 South 1st St., Yakima, WA.

  • You Make The Difference Awards (awards given to organizations and individuals who have made a difference to the Gay community of Yakima and south central Washington).

    • Club 54, 2014 South 1st St., Yakima, WA.

• Friday, June 10th - Show & Dance

  • Hosted by Club 54

    • Club 54, 2014 South 1st St., Yakima, WA.