Find answers to many of your questions about Capital City Pride in this list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). If you still can’t find your answer, send us a message here.
Yes! Capital City Pride is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations to Capital City Pride are tax deductible.
PrideFest is always held on the second weekend of June. For 2025, that is Friday, June 6 – Sunday, June 8, 2025.
In the historic East Village of Downtown Des Moines. The center of the festival follows Locust Street from East 6th to East 3rd.
PrideFest Booth and Parade registrations will open in late 2024 or early 2025.
No. Thanks to the generous support of our donors and sponsors, Capital City Pride’s 2024 PrideFest is a free event. We invite you to make a donation today to help us keep this festival free to everyone who wants to attend!
Yes! We have ample restrooms throughout the festival.
Yes! In addition to the many restaurants and bars in the area, a food truck area will be in the parking lot of LifeServe at 431 E Locust Street.
Yes. Please visit any ticket stand located near the alcohol booths throughout the festival to show your identification/proof that you are at least 21 years of age to get your wristband.
PrideFest brings you dozens of entertainment acts on two stages. Enjoy a variety of acts and performances, including music, dance, and visual arts. Check out the events page for detailed information and a schedule of performances.
Yes! We love pets and have several special events (like our Pet Parade) planned for PrideFest. There will be a Pet Parade on Saturday morning, and a Pet Station will be open the entire weekend if your furry friend needs a place to rest and cool off. Still, please use common sense before you bring your dog to the party. If it’s an extremely hot day or if your pet doesn’t do well with large crowds and loud music, then maybe they should skip the shindigs. If you do bring your dog to PrideFest, they must remain on leash at all times.
Yes! People from all around the state and region come to Des Moines for Capital City PrideFest. As the largest Pride event in Iowa, it’s a “destination Pride!”
No! Capital City Pride welcomes all friends of the LGBTQ+ community to join us for any of our events throughout the year! View our year-round programming here.
Thank you! We need you! It takes nearly 500 volunteers to make PrideFest possible. Visit our volunteer page to sign up.
We work with a variety of different institutions to ensure the safety of every person that attends PrideFest. With the current social and political climate we have strengthened the security presence at PrideFest. The safety of festival attendees is at the forefront of our planning. We utilize a combination of hired security — both marked and unmarked, as well as local police. We encourage each person to remain alert to their surroundings and to report any suspicious behavior or packages to security personnel. If you see something say something.
Medical personnel will be on-site at all times during festival hours. There is a first-aid tent staffed by a team of certified medical professionals. In case of emergency, call 911.