Cue the rainbow flags—2018 Pride season is underway!
Big cities are where gay Pride first blasted off, most famously in New York City in June 1969. There were similar LGBTQ civil-rights protests too in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco as far back as 1957. But over the past half-century, gay-liberation marches evolved, repurposing the original 1966 P.R.I.D.E. acronym (Personal Rights in Defense and Education) into an out-and-proud assertion of justice, dignity, and celebration. Today, LGBTQ protest marches and rallies double as parades and festivals around the world, all year round. It’s no longer just large cities leading the charge, though. Here are 11 of the most fabulous Pride festivities happening in smaller cities across North America (and Guam!).