Atlanta Pride Survival Guide

By Carol Carter

Last Updated October 7, 2025

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Welcome to Atlanta, home of the largest Pride Festival in the Southeast. Here are a few tips to help you navigate around the festival and the city. Be safe and have fun.

The Basics

Official Pride Schedule

First things first: The 2025 Atlanta Pride Festival is scheduled for Oct. 11 and 12 in Piedmont Park. Since it began in Piedmont Park in 1970, the festival has grown to welcome more than 300,000 visitors and hosts one of the city’s largest parades. The annual celebration will again coincide with National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. This year’s theme is “Rooted in Resistance.” The jam-packed festival weekend includes performances, events and the iconic parade kicking off at noon on Oct. 12. There are three additional parades including the Bi and Pan, Dyke and Trans marches. The festival is one of the oldest and biggest celebrations in the nation. October also is recognized as LGBTQ+ History Month.

Rapid Transit

Piedmont Park is headquarters for Atlanta Pride, but if you need to venture to other parts of the city, rapid transit via MARTA may be your best bet. The two train stations that are within less than a mile walk of Piedmont Park are the Arts Center and Midtown Stations. MARTA also goes directly to and from the airport to make for easy commuting while in town. Plus, you won’t have to deal with parking for this massive event. If you’re a first time MARTA rider, here’s our tips on how to Ride MARTA Like a Local.

Essentials

Perhaps you forgot your toothbrush or you need some protein bars. Head a little north from Piedmont Park on Piedmont Avenue to Ansley Mall, where you’ll find CVS plus a Publix and a Kroger. There’s also a CVS near the Midtown MARTA station to stop at. Pick up some water while there to help you stay hydrated. Remember to bring a portable charger because, Yikes!, your phone may run out of charge just when the perfect photo appears in front of you.

Just for Fun

Visit the Rainbow Crosswalk

Head to the Rainbow Crosswalk located at the intersection of 10^th Street and Piedmont Avenue in Midtown. The idea behind the rainbow crosswalk was started by Robert Sepúlveda Jr. in 2014. While the crosswalk was temporarily painted in 2015 ahead of Atlanta Pride, it finally became a permanent attraction in Midtown in 2017. The iconic Atlanta Pride Parade route passes over the crosswalk. Around the area, you’ll find popular gay bars like Bulldogs, considered the oldest gay bar in Atlanta; X Midtown; and Blake’s on the Park.

Find LGBTQ-Friendly Places in Atlanta

Check out our Essential LGBTQ-friendly Places to visit in Atlanta and some of the top LGBTQ Bars and Nightlife in Atlanta to make plans for Pride Weekend.

Pride Kickoff at Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium is transformed into an electric, underwater playground filled with dazzling decor and high-energy music during the Pride Kickoff, which features four DJs: Shane Marcus, Kevin DuRard, Brian Rojas and Amy Alderman. Get your tickets now for Pride Beneath the Waves on Oct. 10 from 7-11 p.m.

Drag Performances

LIPS Atlanta features shows five nights a week. Also see a drag performance at MSR My Sisters Room, Oscar’s Bar or City Winery. Future Atlanta in Underground Atlanta offers drag with a cabaret show.  

The Bar Scene

There are plenty of bars and nightclubs to visit all around Atlanta. Woofs Atlanta is a full-service sports bar serving the LGBTQ community. Head to Ansley Square Shopping Center, located off Piedmont Avenue and across the street from Piedmont Park, to find a variety of gay bars with dancing, karaoke, themed-nights and good food. Check out Felix’s Atlanta, Oscar’s Bar, Atlanta Eagle and Mixx Atlanta. 

(Photo courtesy of Blake’s On The Park)

Bookmark this Shop

Charis Books and More in Decatur is the South’s oldest independent feminist bookstore with books on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer fiction and non-fiction. Take MARTA to the Decatur Station and find Charis just a few steps away.

CityPASS

If you are going to be in Atlanta for a few days, consider purchasing a CityPASS to the city’s top attractions. If will save you up to 49%.

Pride Atlanta makes for a busy weekend in Midtown, so check out our Midtown Neighborhood Guide for top attractions and things to do.

Scroll through our calendar of events to find specific events going on. Or start planning for other top LGBTQ events that happen in Atlanta throughout the year.

Carol Carter was a founding staff member of Atlanta Business Chronicle where she later served as editor. She served as editor of seven magazines including a 150-year business history of Atlanta. She worked as a reporter for WXIA TV’s Noonday Show, has written for the New York Times and is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Carol is author of “Junior Dragster Dreams: How Sam Found His Own Ride,” a children’s book.

Originally Published September 18, 2025