Every year in June, the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies gather together to celebrate Pride. Making a big splash onto the scene this year, the organization Out Montclair is hosting Montclair's First Pride Festival, presented by Audi Tristate Dealers and Montclair Center BID, with a huge music, food, and arts festival + capstone concert on Saturday, June 11th.
Get ready for a huge assortment of vendors, interactive art, a beer garden, live music by artists ranging from local to international stars. Judy Gold, a New Jersey native, and nationally known comedian who will emcee the main stage. Performances will feature actress and trans activist Peppermint; the recent Broadway cast of Jagged Little Pill; Emmy-award winner Dyllón Burnside from Pose; Tony-award winner Laura Benanti; trans activist Carmen Carrera; and the cast of Rent, from the Vanguard Theater Company.
Saturday, June 11th from 12PM to 8PM
Montclair Pride Festival | Bloomfield Avenue, Park and Church Streets in Downtown Montclair
On the School of Rock kids and family stage, there will be the School of Rock Montclair band, Jazz House Kids, APEX Ensemble, and Hillside Elementary’s Drums of Thunder, in addition to local LGBTQ talent who embody the Montclair Pride theme: “Be You. Be Heard.” Montclair Pride is showing the world that families are families, love is love, and all are welcome to be themselves and to contribute, succeed, and celebrate; in stark contrast to the state-sanctioned discrimination and marginalization happening around America. The Family Zone will have everything kids and families love to do including art, music, books, games, and fun.
Other moments will be the keynote “Be You. Be Heard.” address by Out Montclair Founder and President and Town Council Member, Peter Yacobellis; a long time civil rights activist. Attorney General Matthew Platkin will speak to New Jersey’s commitment to protect, defend, and treasure LGBTQ residents. Montclair’s Congressional representatives Mikie Sherrill and Donald Payne, Jr., along with Mayor of Montclair Sean Spiller and Essex County officials will rally the crowd.
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Saturday, June 11th at 7PM
Montclair Pride Concert | The Wellmont Theater - 5 Seymour Street
Not including the many parties to pop up around town, Montclair Pride will conclude with a concert featuring Australian singer/songwriter Betty Who at 7PM at the Wellmont Theater. Rising Pop Star Jordy and Los Angeles based Alt Rock duo, Fab the Duo, will be the opening acts for the concert.
Betty Who has had multiple #1s on Billboard charts including Hot 100 and Top Dance Club charts like her breakout hit “Somebody Loves You,” as well as “All of You,” and “All Things,” her cover of Netflix’s Queer Eye opening number. Joining Betty Who is Jordy, who recently was announced on the main stage at Lollapalooza and alternative rock duo “Fab the Duo.” PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE WELLMONT CONCERT
Parking & Transit
Locals are encouraged to bike or walk. Bike parking will be available on Park St. just south of Portland Place. For those coming from out of town, NJ Transit runs trains from NYC and Newark to Bay Street Station. Montclair has over 1,500 public parking spots in parking structures downtown including:
- Bay Street Parking Deck – 21 Pine Street, Montclair, NJ 07042
- South Fullerton Deck – Behind 23 S. Fullerton, Montclair, NJ 07042 accessible in the back of the South Fullerton Municipal Surface Lot
- The Crescent Deck – 13 The Crescent, Montclair, NJ 07042 Website
- Valley Road Parking – 34 Valley Road, Montclair, NJ 07042
- Nearest Surface Lot: Lackawanna Plaza – 233 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042 and 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair, NJ 07042
- For limited on street and municipal surface lot parking, Montclair uses the Park Mobile App: http://us.parkmobile.com/members/, coins and credit/debit cards
Behind the Scenes of Out Montclair
Out Montclair was founded in 2021 as a non-profit organization to support and provide solidarity for the LGBTQIA+ individuals in and around Montclair. The organization hosts events to bring the community together and provide safe spaces to find friendship, camaraderie, and resources for people of all ages. Montclair is steeped with talent in the arts, communications, culture, business, and community-building. Out Montclair provides a unifying organization to bring out the creative and committed community members to design events and create space for learning and understanding for non-LGBTQIA+ individuals as well.
