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After a couple years of scaled-back events due to the pandemic, the NWA Pride Parade and Festival will return to a full slate in 2022.
Festival organizers last week released a full schedule of entertainment for this year’s event.
Weekend festivities kick off on Friday night in the lot outside Maxine’s Tap Room with a Light Up the Lot glow dance party featuring music by DJ Kiera Maserati, barbecue by Girls Gone BBQ, and a light up dance floor. 10% of the bar’s weekend sales will benefit NWA Equality.
On Saturday, the street festival kicks off at 11 a.m. with a performance by DJ Girlfriend on the main stage in the Walton Arts Center parking lot. Other main stage performances include DJ Dribblz at 12:45 p.m., a Dickson Divas Drag Show at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., music by Dazz & Brie at 2 p.m., and music by Deepwood Mac at 3;30 p.m.
Also on Saturday morning, the NWA Pride Youth Zone will kick off with arts and crafts at 11 a.m., followed by a drag show at 1:15 p.m., music by DJ So Calm at 1:45 p.m., music by The Misdemeanors at 2:30 p.m., storytime also at 2:30 p.m., and a Drag Show at 3:30 p.m.
This year’s Trans March will begin at noon and make its way down Dickson Street to the main stage where some speakers will give remarks.
The NWA Pride Parade this year will begin at around 5 p.m. and will make its way a little further up Dickson Street to Arkansas Avenue to accommodate the growing crowds at the annual event.
There is also entertainment at Kingfish on Saturday, with music by DJ CudCareLess at 11:30 a.m., followed by the annual Bear Contest at 2:30 p.m., with a late night performance by 1 Oz. Jig at 9 p.m.
Also returning to the NWA Pride festivities this year is the late-night Glitterville party, scheduled at George’s Majestic Lounge. Doors for the event open at 8:30 p.m., and there will be performances by DJ Tyler Moore, Dickson Divas, and Joe Pacheco.
Local dance club C4 Lounge will host its annual White Party on Saturday night in honor of Pride as well. This year’s event will include music by DJ SuzieQ.
There’s also a pub crawl visiting several Dickson Street watering holes on Saturday.
A map of this year’s festivities is below. For a bit more information, visit nwapride.org.
