Several Pride events taking place in Dallas in June

Dallas - Pride Month has officially kicked off in Texas, with an array of festivities happening throughout the state. As part of an annual ritual, the City of Dallas ignited the spirit of Pride by hoisting the Pride flag at both Dallas Love Field and City Hall Plaza this past Thursday, Dallas Metro News reported.

“Dallas has a diverse Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+) community and is committed to supporting visibility, dignity, and equity for all people in the community,” Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Omar Narvaez said as reported by Spectrum News. “June has become a symbolic month in which LGBTQ+ persons, and supporters, come together in various celebrations of pride.”

Mayor Eric L. Johnson declared June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in Dallas. The resilience this community displays, using countless social movements to elevate their symbol, the rainbow or LGBTQ+ pride flag, has been a representation of their spirit since the 1970s. Understanding its historical significance, the City Council passed a resolution on June 17, 2020, mandating the City of Dallas Official Flag to be substituted by the City of Dallas Pride Flag throughout June.

A ceremony took place at noon on the Plaza, where several organizations and groups, including the City of Dallas LGBT Employee Resource Group, Dallas Police Department LGBTQ+ Liaison, Dallas Fire LGBTQ+ Liaison, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Dallas Wings, pledged their support.

Other key city locations slated to fly the Pride flag include the Dallas Executive Airport, Jack Evans Headquarters, J. Erik Jonsson Central library, Fair Park, and the Dallas Fire Rescue training facility. Additional support for Pride Month will be seen through multi-colored illuminations of the downtown skyline, set to light up from June 1-4, courtesy of the city's partners.

Learn more about other Pride events happening around Dallas:

• Sunday, June 4, Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade, 2-4 p.m., Fair Park
• Friday, June 9, Dallas Wings vs Phoenix Mercury, 7 p.m., College Park Center at University of Texas at Arlington
• Friday, June 16, Dallas Arts District Pride Block Party, 6 p.m. to midnight
• Saturday, June 24, Ride for Pride in partnership Dallas Park & Recreation, Bike Friendly Oak Cliff, LGBTQ+ Liaison, Happy Riders Dallas, Bike Friendly South Dallas, and LGBT Employee Association of Dallas, 9 a.m., Reverchon Park. To register visit this link.