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!

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.

• 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.