Atlanta Pride officially kicks off this week and features parties, music, theater and culminates with the annual Festival Pride Parade.

The Midtown Neighbors' Association is hosting one Midtown Pride mingle on October 9th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the Campagnolo terrace with appetizers, drink specials, giveaways, music and more.

Also on October 9th Atlanta Pride And Disney's The Lion King will bring the show back Fox Theater at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here and all purchases will directly benefit Atlanta Pride. There will be a special meet-and-greet with the cast, giving fans the opportunity to interact with the stars of this Broadway production.

The sold out 6th annual Mayor's Pride Reception will take place on October 10th from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the town hall with the comedy duo The Mean Gays.

Also on October 10, MARTA will unveil its special Pride Bus design at the North Avenue Station at 4 p.m., followed by a free event Pride Plaza Party at the station from 5 to 8 p.m. with music curated by Ree De La Vega, drag queens and kings, a photo booth and more.

On October 11th the Official Atlanta Pride Kickoff Party takes place from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m Georgia Aquariumduring the annual Rainbow Run Pride 5K will take place on October 12th at 9 a.m. from 680 North Ave. You can still register at atlpriderun.org/rainbowrun.

Piedmont Park will be the hub of the Atlanta Pride Festival on October 12th and 13th, with two days of music and performances, including a headlining set from pop star Ava Max on Saturday at 8:4 p.m. The full schedule can be found here. Saturday also sees the annual Trans March, Bi & Pan March and Dyke March – details of all three can be found here.

Of note, the Fulton County Board of Health will be offering vaccinations at Piedmont Park during the two-day event. Officials say Mpox, which is on the rise again in Georgia, will be one of the vaccinations offered.

This is the highlight of the celebrations Atlanta Pride Parade on Sunday, October 13, starting at noon at the Atlanta Civic Center MARTA station, continuing down Peachtree Street to 10th Street and ending in Piedmont Park. The Fox Theater will also house a rooftop terrace Pride parade viewing party on Sunday at the Marquee Club. Get tickets and details here.

In addition to the parade, several events will take place throughout the city in the coming weeks.

Before you meet up with friends for one of the official Atlanta Pride events, consider a visit to the Museum of Design Atlanta, where the British Consulate of Atlanta will host a PRIDE Arts and Crafts Brunch on Saturday, October 12th at 12 p.m. Guests have the opportunity to make rainbow accessories such as flags, headbands and bracelets. Attendees will also have access to the MODA exhibition “Characters: Type in Action,” which explores the impact of typography on social justice. Feedback is required to [email protected].

ArtXchange hosts Theresa Davis and Vandellous on October 19th from 8 to 11 p.m. for an evening of burlesque, poetry and music. This celebration of queer culture, creativity, resilience, joy and strength features some of Atlanta's finest artists. The event is aimed at guests aged 21 and over. Tickets can be purchased here.

The 33rd^approx yearly AIDS Walk Atlanta Music Festival and 5k Run presented by AHF Pharmacy and Wells Fargo, was postponed due to Hurricane Helene and is now scheduled for Saturday, October 19th at Piedmont Park. Award-winning rapper and hip-hop star Lil' Kim will perform at the event. and the multi-award-winning rapper and hip-hop artist Lil' Kim will also be featured.

The Atlanta History Center The oral history collection Unspoken Past examines LGBTQ+ life in Atlanta before the Stonewall Riots and captures the experiences of individuals who sought community, support, and belonging. You can see more of the AHC's extensive LGBTQ+ collection here.

Collin Kelley contributed to this report.