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Best of Portland Pride: Oregon’s Rainbow Celebration

Best of Portland Pride: Oregon’s Rainbow Celebration

Since June 2022, Portland Pride, with its Waterfront Festival and the Pride Parade, is back in Portland, Oregon. We have been in Portland during Pride festivities and the demonstration and were able to capture the best of Portland Pride 2019 with photos and videos of the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Celebration in Portland, Oregon. Bearded men, a hipster community, great coffee, and local beer breweries – Portland in Oregon was already, for many years, on our gay travel bucket list for the USA. In 2019, we could finally visit the green US-American state on the Pacific coast, finding exactly what we were looking for. And so much more since we attended Portland Pride, the colorful and diverse rainbow celebration in June, the official Pride month in the United States of America. Enjoy our best photos plus video of Portland Pride and see the rainbow celebration in the US-American North-West through a Couple of Men‘s eyes.

– in paid collaboration with Tourism Portland –

Karl dressed in his unicorn shirt with rainbow flags all over the place © Coupleofmen.com
Ready for Portland Pride 2019 © Coupleofmen.com/ Photo by Matthew Schueller

Celebrating Portland Pride 2023

Portland Pride Waterfront Festival 2023 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland:

  • Saturday, July 15, 2023 – from 12 PM to 6 PM
  • Sunday, July 16, 2023 – from 11:30 AM to 6 PM

Portland Pride Parade 2023

  • Sunday, July 16, 2023 – beginning at 11 AM in Downtown Portland
  • Starting at NW Burnside and NW Park Ave, ending at SW Naito Parkway at the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival

New Website Portland Pride:

Best of Portland Pride in Oregon 2019

Colorful, welcoming, and diverse – That is how we experienced the Pride Festival in Portland, Oregon in 2019. After the colorful pride parade where everyone was welcome to join along the route, the rainbow crowd arrived at the Waterfront of Willamette River to celebrate one of the largest donation-based pride festivals on the West Coast, even in the country. The LGBTQ+ organization behind Portland Pride is called Pride Northwest, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon. Already since the Mid-70s, gays, lesbians, trans, and queer people have walked side by side for equality, love, and respect. Let us show you some of the best photos we could take. And don’t forget to watch the video by Matthew and Michael of their first-ever pride parade together (and, of course, we are joining them!).

Portland Trans Pride March

“Transform, transcend, transgress the (cis)tem!”

The day before the Portland Pride Parade on Sunday, the Greater Portland Trans Unity organized the 2019 edition of the Portland Trans Pride March. Taking the same route and ending at the Waterfront like the Portland Pride the day later, this event was one of the most colorful and diverse LGBTQ+ events we have ever attended. It was truly remarkable to see and meet so many proud and young trans, non-binary, intersex, and two-spirit people enjoying the summer event at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Young, Out and Proud: Queer and Trans Youth in Portland © Coupleofmen.com
Young, Out and Proud: Queer and Trans Youth in Portland © Coupleofmen.com

“This year, on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, we are called to celebrate, and we will do that. But we are also grieving. We are called to march, and we will do that. But we are also organizing. We hope you will join us in honoring our trans and queer legacy this way: by continuing the fight that has never ended, for the revolution we still desperately need–for now and for our future generations.” – Greater Portland Trans Unity and the 2019 Portland Trans Pride March Organizing Committee, June 2019.

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during Portland Trans Pride March © Coupleofmen.com
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during Portland Trans Pride March © Coupleofmen.com
Beautifully dressed queer and LGBTQ+ people from all around the world © Coupleofmen.com
Beautifully dressed queer and LGBTQ+ people from all around the world © Coupleofmen.com

Proud & Free: Over 40 years of Pride in Portland!

From the mid-1970s until today, Portland Pride and the Waterfront Festival take place in early summer, in recent years during the Pride month of June. This year the parade started in the North Park Blocks area at around 11 am. The colorful queer people from all around the world made their way through Northwest Portland and along SW Naito Parkway and ended at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon.

Portland Pride 2019: Best of the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Celebration in Oregon
Portland Pride 2019: Best of the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Celebration in Oregon
Pride LGBTQ+ rights Movement Proud son and a proud dad walking side by side © Coupleofmen.com
Pride LGBTQ+ rights Movement Proud son and a proud dad walking side by side © Coupleofmen.com
Wait for me! Drag Queen on the run! © Coupleofmen.com
Wait for me! Drag Queen on the run! © Coupleofmen.com
Out and proud: A couple of men walking hand in hand at Portland Pride © Coupleofmen.com
Out and proud: A couple of men walking hand in hand at Portland Pride © Coupleofmen.com
7 Top Nature Adventures in Portland, OR © Coupleofmen.com

9 Nature Highlights in Portland, OR

Kayaking, Waterfalls, Chinese & Japanese Gardens, Rose Test Garden, or Waterfront Park – Portland has a strong connection to nature. In our blog article, we are introducing you to our nine favorite places to experience the unique bond with nature in and around Portland that you should not miss when visiting Oregon.

Click here for the complete list >

Summer colors, balloons, and happy face during Portland Pride Parade © Coupleofmen.com
Summer colors, balloons, and happy faces during Portland Pride Parade © Coupleofmen.com
On the run! Drag Queen on a speedy scooter © Coupleofmen.com
On the run! Drag Queen on a speedy scooter © Coupleofmen.com
Karl is ready for Portland Pride
Karl is ready for Portland Pride © Coupleofmen.com/ Matthew Schueller

Diverse, feisty, and full of Love

But how many people actually participated? Well, official numbers expected approximately 8,000 people of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies to walk in the parade and as many as 45,000 spectators line the 1.1-mile route. Other media are talking about much higher numbers. Let’s write it like this: It was busy, loud, and peaceful. And we enjoyed every minute of it!

Never forget where we come from 'I remember Stonewall from DEEP in my Closet' © Coupleofmen.com
Never forget where we come from ‘I remember Stonewall from DEEP in my Closet’ © Coupleofmen.com
Essential part of every Pride Parade: The Dykes on their Bikes © Coupleofmen.com
Essential part of every Pride Parade: The Dykes on their Bikes © Coupleofmen.com
Before joining the Pride March Karl and our friends supported the parade © Coupleofmen.com
Before joining the Pride March Karl and our friends supported the parade © Coupleofmen.com
Free like an angel - or a Drag Queen with wings © Coupleofmen.com
Free like an angel – or a Drag Queen with wings © Coupleofmen.com
Road Trip USA Highlights American South West © CoupleofMen.com

Gay USA Travel Guide

The United States of America is a great country to travel to. Especially the bigger cities along its East and West coast conquered our hearts during our travels as an openly gay couple in the past couple of years. But where to stay? Where to go? What to do? We give answers to your questions for a gay-friendly gaycation in the USA!

Plan & Book your USA Trip >

Dance shows on the streets with colorful traditional clothing © Coupleofmen.com
Dance shows on the streets with colorful traditional clothing © Coupleofmen.com
Life Entertainment from the singing Portland Lesbian Choir © Coupleofmen.com
Life Entertainment from the singing Portland Lesbian Choir © Coupleofmen.com
Part of the Parade: The Portland Two Spirit Society © Coupleofmen.com
Part of the Parade: The Portland Two Spirit Society © Coupleofmen.com
Karl is ready for Portland Pride
Karl is ready for Portland Pride © Coupleofmen.com / Matthew Schueller

Portland Pride Waterfront Festival

We mentioned the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival now already a few times. So, we feel like we should introduce you to this LGBTQ+ event as well! Tom McCall Waterfront Park is located right by the lake shore of the Willamette River in the center of Portland. During the event, a dozen of tents of organizations and small shops gather around the main stage, where the known artists and newcomer drag queens give their very best to impress the enthusiastic crowd.

Drag Queens on stage at Waterfront festival area © Coupleofmen.com
Drag Queens on stage at Portland Pride Waterfront Festival area © Coupleofmen.com

We were so happy to finally meet the @thegaybeards, our beard buddies in crime. But we also run into Don and his new boyfriend. We almost had to cry about their lovely story together. Because Don came out of the closet at the age of 80, meeting the man of his life just two years ago. Have a look at our Instagram Story Highlight of Portland for some fun Pride shots as well!

Home in Portland, we met the two guys behind @thegaybeards and no, they are not a couple! © Coupleofmen.com
Home in Portland, we met the two guys behind @thegaybeards and no, they are not a couple! © Coupleofmen.com
Free hugs from Moms and Dads at the Waterfront Festival area © Coupleofmen.com
Free hugs from Moms and Dads at the Waterfront Festival area © Coupleofmen.com
Time for a gay couple photo with Don who came out of the closet at the age of 80 years © Coupleofmen.com
Time for a gay couple photo with Don who came out of the closet at the age of 80 years © Coupleofmen.com
Daan doesn't wanna share his huge Monster Fry Brick at the Waterfront © Coupleofmen.com
Daan doesn’t want to share his huge Monster Fry Brick at the Waterfront © Coupleofmen.com

Interesting Posts for your Gay Travels:

Karl on the streets of Portland demonstrating for LGBTQ+ equality © Matthew Schueller
Karl on the streets of Portland demonstrating for LGBTQ+ equality © Coupleofmen.com/ Matthew Schueller

Time to plan your trip to Portland for the Pride Rainbow Celebration in Oregon

We are curious: Did you ever attend Portland Pride in the U.S. state of Oregon? It was the first time for us, but definitely not the last time in Portland. Lucky us, we still have some days to go. On our list: the Japanese Garden, the Multnomah Falls, and further around Oregon. Portland in summer is just so green and juicy, especially coming from sunny and dry California. And it was hot during our stay, creating perfect conditions for a canoe tour on the Columbia River around Government Island and some wonderful rooftop nights with a locally crafted beer and a good burger. We will share our experience in our Gay Travel Guide Portland soon!

Do you want to know more about our gay travels around the world? Stay tuned on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Enjoy the US and hopefully, we will see you all very soon again in Portland, Oregon, and the United States of America

Karl & Daan.

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Please note: This trip was made possible in close collaboration with Travel Portland and Travel Oregon. A special thanks for the tips and support goes to our wonderful readers, followers, new and old friends from all over the world. Nevertheless, our photos, our videos, our opinions, and our writings are our own, as always.