Timeline Of Triumph
Celebrating Yakima's Rich LGBTQ+ History in the Yakima Valley & Central Washington
Timeline of Triumph: Celebrating Yakima's Rich LGBTQ+ History in the Yakima Valley & Central Washington – A Story of Education, Advocacy, and Cultural Celebration
Yakima's LGBTQ+ community has blossomed from humble gatherings to a vibrant, powerful force for inclusivity, driving positive change in the Yakima Valley and Central Washington. While challenges have arisen, our spirit has only grown stronger, fueled by resilience and unwavering dedication, honoring those who came before.
In the late 80s and early 90s, courageous individuals laid the foundation with informal meetups, planting the seeds of visibility, elevating the presence of our community. This early bravery paved the way for the thriving community we see today, a testament to the power of transformative cultural experiences.
Our journey reached a significant milestone in 2018, when over 500 people celebrated at Yakima's Pride Festival & Parade. The momentum continued in 2019, with the formal establishment of Yakima Pride as a nonprofit by four dedicated community members, demonstrating our commitment to a brighter future. That year, the Festival & Parade drew over 1,100 attendees, reflecting growing acceptance and the expansion of Pride events to support LGBTQ+ youth and families, a clear sign that diversity thrives.
The 2020 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, forcing the cancellation of in-person events. However, our pride remained undeterred. Yakima Pride's leadership secured crucial funding, ensuring our community's survival through ingenuity and compassion, a powerful example of powerful advocacy.
We emerged stronger in 2021 and 2022, achieving significant milestones through strategic partnerships, grants, and empowering local LGBTQ+ organizations, shattering barriers that once obstructed our progress. 2021 marked the triumphant return of in-person events, while 2022 witnessed record-breaking attendance and widespread recognition, illustrating how voices soar. Our celebrations returned bigger than ever, with the Festival & Parade shattering previous attendance records.
The growth continued exponentially in 2023, with over 4,000 attendees, and in 2024, we celebrated a landmark achievement with over 5,000 attendees at our first ever festival held at the State Fair Park. This historic move signifies our community's expanding reach and impact, transforming the margins into the mainstream.
As we look to the future, our work continues. Yakima Pride is here to stay, creating an oasis of inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals across the Valley, where equality reigns. With deep roots and ever-reaching branches, our Timeline of Triumph unfolds. Together, we inspire wellness, belonging, and joy for all identities, using arts and culture as catalysts for understanding, empathy, and social progress. Yakima Pride – we’ve come so far, and the best is yet to come!
2025
Grant information
2024
2023-2024 - Pride Foundation, Community Grant Recipient
Pride Foundation invests in remarkable community organizations that are actively addressing the needs of and expanding opportunities for LGBTQ+ people and our families in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.2023
Saturday, July 1, 2023 - Relocated Yakima Pride Office - Valley Mall Upstairs Offices
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
2022-2023 - Pride Foundation, Community Grant Recipient
Pride Foundation invests in remarkable community organizations that are actively addressing the needs of and expanding opportunities for LGBTQ+ people and our families in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.2022
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
2021-2022 Pride Foundation, Community Grant Recipient
Pride Foundation invests in remarkable community organizations that are actively addressing the needs of and expanding opportunities for LGBTQ+ people and our families in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.2021
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.
2021-2022 - Pride Foundation, Community Grant Recipient
Pride Foundation invests in remarkable community organizations that are actively addressing the needs of and expanding opportunities for LGBTQ+ people and our families in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.2020
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
Grant information
2019
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
2019 - Humanities Washington and The Center for Washington State Cultural Traditions Grant Recipient
2019 - Pride Foundation, Community Grant Recipient
2019 - ACLU, The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington State Grant Recipient
History Of Pride Celebrations
LGBTQ+ events and celebrations of Pride in the Yakima Valley from various individuals, groups, and organizations.
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 the Yakima Valley and 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.
2018
Saturday, June 2nd - Yakima Pride Fest & March
Hosted by Act Yakima
Performance Park, 100 Pendleton Way, Yakima, WA 98901
2017
Saturday, June 17th - Yakima Pride Fest & March
Hosted by Act Yakima
Performance Park, 100 Pendleton Way, Yakima, WA 98901
2016
2015
Saturday, July 25th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park
Hosted by
Chesterly Park 600-1599 River Road., Yakima, Washington 98902
2014
2013
Saturday, July 27th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park
Hosted by 1st Fridays, GayYakima.com
Franklin Park, 2101 Tieton Dr, Yakima, WA 98902
2012
2011
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
2010
2009
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)
2008
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
2007
Saturday, June 9th - Yakima Pride Fest: Pride in the Park
Hosted by 1st Fridays, Gayakima.com
Fulbright Park, 4508 Main St., Union Gap, WA.
2006
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
2005
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.