What started out as a few small events on the campus of UNLV in May 1983 has gradually and successfully led to one of the city’s largest and most celebrated parades and festivals, Las Vegas PRIDE. Spearheaded by the Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc., the mission is to “educate the community by invoking, promoting and celebrating lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender pride.” Kicking off Aug. 31 and leading up to the main event, the PRIDE parade and festival, Sept. 5-6, the city also welcomes the third annual Gay Days Las Vegas Expo at Luxor, Sept. 4-7. The week is filled with all things LGBT-related, but everyone’s welcome to celebrate and show their support for the community at some of the following hotspots. For a full list of events, be sure to check with your hotel concierge or visit lasvegaspride.org and gaydays.com.

Let’s Be Entertained

Winner of six Tony Awards, Broadway’s Best Musical Kinky Boots, with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, makes a tour stop at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 4-14. Cheer and dance in your seat as you follow the story of a shoe factory owner and his adventures to save his shop with help from a musical diva named Lola. If you’re in the mood for more entertainment, check out Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas at The Quad and Jubilee and Véronic: Voices at Bally’s.

Let’s Dance

It’ll be grooving bodies at the official PRIDE after-parade party, Sept. 5 at Piranha Nightclub, with Las Vegas’ loveliest drag queens taking center stage. Piranha Nightclub also plays host to Gay Days parties throughout the week and welcomes PRIDE’s Latin Party, Sept. 2. Get ready to swoon at PRIDE’s official Boy’s Party on Sept. 4 and PRIDE’s official after-festival party, Sept. 6, both taking place at Share Nightclub. PRIDE wraps it up with the official closing party happening at The Beatles Revolution Lounge at The Mirage on Sept. 7. Beginning Sept. 3 and throughout the weekend, drop by Liaison at Bally’s, the Strip’s only gay nightclub housed inside a casino.

The Celebration

On Sept. 5 the PRIDE Parade begins at 7 p.m. in downtown Las Vegas, where the route starts at West Charleston Boulevard and heads north along Fourth Street to Ogden Avenue. The PRIDE Festival takes over Clark County Amphitheater on Sept. 6 beginning at noon. There will be more than 100 exhibitors onsite, drinks and food vendors, featured performers and local talent and the Family Activity Zone for parents and children 12 and under.

Xposed! Sunset Pool Party

Xposed! Sunset Pool Party

Let’s Have Some Fun Under the Sun

It’s all-you-can-eat and all the sun you can take at Simon Restaurant and Lounge at Palms Place. Here you can enjoy the PRIDE brunch poolside, Aug. 31 and Sept. 7. Another pool party that’s just for the boys, T-Dance takes place Sept. 7 at Blue Moon Hotel for Men. On Saturday, Sept. 6, head over to Tropicana for it’s LGBT-friendly watery oasis, Xposed! Sunset Pool Party. For the Strip’s longest-running LGBT pool party, Temptation Sundays, see page 32 for PRIDE week festivities. Gay Days will also be hosting pool parties at Luxor, Sept. 5-6, beginning at 10 a.m.

AND EVEN MORE FESTIVITIES …

Travel, entertainment and businesses targeted toward the LGBT community set up booths at the Gay Days Las Vegas Expo at Luxor, Sept. 4-6. It’s going to be a wild bingo party, Sept. 3 at The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada as it hosts PRIDE’s Family Bingo party where you can also enter a costume contest and enjoy happy hour. The Center also hosts a Youth PRIDE talent show on Sept. 4. If you want to keep it strictly ladies, check out Shedonism, a women’s weekend hotel takeover at Rumor Boutique Resort, Sept. 3-8, which includes pool parties and nightclub events. Visit shedonismvegas.com for full details.