The Stonewall
Columbus Pride Festival and March is an annual LGBTQ+ celebration held in downtown Columbus, Ohio, organized by Stonewall Columbus. The Pride march in Columbus started in 1982, with around 200 people participating in the inaugural event. The event includes a public march, festival programming, live entertainment, and community resource engagement. In 2018, an Associated Press report noted that
nearly 10,000 people marched with an even larger crowd watching along the streets of downtown Columbus, highlighting the event's community presence and cultural significance. According to local media reporting, the 2025 festival and march drew over 650,000 attendees across its two days.
Controversy: 2017 Parade In 2017, a controversy arose when four
protesters were arrested during the Stonewall Columbus
pride parade. The protesters were blocking the parade from proceeding, and protesting Stonewall's lack of
intersectionality and the large volume of
police at the event. The protesters, known as the Black Pride 4, ignored police orders to clear the street and were then arrested. Three of the protesters were sentenced to community service and probation. The controversy prompted a dispute over Stonewall Columbus's view of racial minorities. Amid calls for the organization's director to step down, the pride festival coordinator resigned, admitting the group [wa]s unsympathetic to gay and transgender people of color. Stonewall's director retired the following year. == Public Art Installation ==