Utah Pride 2023 will be ‘Unapologetic’

Utah Pride Center announced the theme and dates of the Utah Pride Festival for 2023. Leaders went to the community to vote for the theme earlier this year, and the community chose “Unapologetic” for this year’s event.

Britt Martinez, adult programs manager for Utah Pride Center, offered up this theme.

“Unapologetic to me means living in authenticity regardless of how the world views us. We are what we are and we’re not taking no for an answer,” Martinez said in a statement.

“This year, that’s exactly the message our community chose to represent our celebrations in June: being Unapologetic is coming out to celebrate our identities together free from fear and imposed standards, free to express our wholeness and beauty,” event leaders stated.

The event will take place June 1 through 4 at Washington Square in downtown Salt Lake City.

On June 1, there will be an event titled “Utah Pride Live!”

On June 2, the March & Rally will take place, plus an opening concert.

Saturday, June 3, brings Youth

Pride, a Pride Drag Brunch, and the first day of the Utah Pride Festival.

On Sunday, June 4, the annual Utah Pride Parade and Utah Pride Festival will take place.

Committee

This year’s organizing committee will be Jonathan Foulk, co-CEO of development and operations; Rosa Bandeirinha, communications director; Ted Nicholls, operations director; Zeb Williams, special events manager; and Chad Call, parade director.

The committee is taking applications for additional committee members and organizers. Committee meetings are about 2 hours per week through March, with two extra hours in April and May. In June, it will be all hands on deck.

VENDORS & FOOD TRUCKS

Those who wish to have a booth at the festival can apply now. Applications close on April 29th and will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Acceptance status notifications will be sent weekly. Applications received after April 29th may be placed on a waitlist and will be subject to a non-refund-

1.201.8824 able late application fee.

Vendor fees have increased this year. A 10×10 booth will cost $1,500 for applications received by April 29 and $2,000 for late applications. Nonprofits, schools, churches, and governmental agency fees are $750 and $1,000. Food vendors pay 15 percent of sales after taxes and tips, plus participation in providing meals for volunteers.

Some artists reached out to local media about the increase in this year’s booth fees. Last year, the Festival offered a small group of artists and small businesses a shared space, resulting in a $400 fee. Organizers said that artists or businesses who want to combine on their own this year can make an application to do so.

“We share everyone’s frustrations about the cost increases,” Bandeirinha told the Salt Lake Tribune, adding that the nonprofit’s operation costs have “gone up exponentially.”

“We want to invite these small businesses and small individuals to actually see where your money is going,”

Foulk told Fox 13 News. “It’s not just to put on this festival, it’s actually to provide life-saving programs and services, and that’s why we’re here.”

Financial assistance can be applied for at vendors@ utahpridecenter.org

Parade Applications

Parade applications open March 1 and close April 29. Applications will eventually be live here.

Sponsors

There are three types of sponsorships available for this year’s Pride — Community (businesses with under $5 million in annual revenue), Local (businesses and organizations with annual revenue between $5 million and $100 million), and Corporate (over $100 million in annual revenue).

A brochure for sponsors is available here

Volunteers

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to help run the festival, plus to help run peer-to-peer programs at the Center. Applications will open soon here Applications for performers, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers are at the new utahpride.org website.