Lawrence PRIDE parade fills Mass Street with celebration and support
Courtney Farr led a crowd of families, performers and elected participants down Mass Street as Lawrence PRIDE turned downtown into a free parade and block party.
Lawrence’s annual PRIDE parade packed Massachusetts Street with a crowd that turned downtown into a moving display of visibility, support and spending foot traffic. Grand Marshal Courtney Farr led the route from Seventh and Massachusetts streets at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, as spectators lined the sidewalks and the celebration pushed toward South Park and then an evening after party at The Granada.
The downtown route gave the event its clearest local impact: it moved directly past shops, restaurants and offices in the heart of Lawrence, where the mix of marchers and onlookers created the kind of all-day attention that downtown businesses rarely get from a single community event. Lawrence PRIDE said the parade and South Park block party were free and open to everyone, which helped draw families, students and longtime residents into the same stretch of Mass Street.
The lineup reflected that broad appeal. KU mascot Baby Jay joined Girl Scouts Service Unit 716, a Lawrence Transit bus rolled through the parade, and members of the Lawrence Humane Society walked a dog along the route. The Kansas Chapter of Free Mom Hugs handed out hugs to people along the way, while others passed out candy and popsicles to the crowd. The mix of elected participants, volunteer groups and recognizable local names made the parade feel less like a procession and more like a civic snapshot of the city.
The celebration did not stop at the route. After the march to South Park, organizers planned a block party and an adults-only after party at The Granada beginning around 8 p.m., with balcony access reserved for ages 21 and up. Lawrence PRIDE’s June calendar also stretched beyond parade day, with the Wet & Wild Pride Kickoff Party at Lucia the night before, plus queer bowling socials, movie nights, drag bingo, storytelling events and a Black PRIDE wind-down later in the month.
That wider schedule matters because Lawrence PRIDE has grown into a monthlong public marker of the city’s civic identity. The organization says its current form began in 2017 with small gatherings at local venues before expanding, and the City of Lawrence holds a Pride proclamation every June. In 2025, organizers said the parade and block party drew thousands of people, including visitors from Topeka, Leavenworth and Eudora, a regional pull that helps explain why Mass Street has become one of the city’s most visible stages for Lawrence’s public brand.
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