Carlow Pride Festival

The Carlow Pride Festival is an annual LGBTQ+ celebration that typically takes place on July 12 in Carlow, Ireland. Running every year since 2019, excluding the Covid pandemic years, the festival consistently draws a significant turnout from the community.

The day's events generally begin with a morning prayer service at St Mary’s Church, centered on celebrating Carlow Pride. Following this, an official town photograph is taken, leading into a vibrant parade. The parade commences at Carlow College and makes its way through the town centre along a designated route affectionately known as 'Sally’s Rainbow Road', in tribute to a past committee member. The parade's journey culminates at Carlow Town Park, which is transformed into the bustling 'Pride village'.

Operating from mid-afternoon, the Pride village offers a diverse program of activities. It features a stage, often sponsored by Yahoo, showcasing live performances by local artists and impactful speeches from organizations like Mammies for Trans Rights. Attendees can enjoy a variety of food options from trucks such as Smokey Wheels and Cibo Carlow, alongside ice cream and coffee vans, and browse numerous craft stalls. The festival usually concludes with an official after-party at Tully’s, which includes a DJ set, a drag show, and burlesque performances, fostering an evening of joy and community spirit.