Isiah Christie 
The Montclair Pride Festival, one of the city’s most anticipated events, has officially released a date for summer 2026. While the event was originally scheduled for June 13th, the organizer, non-profit group Out Montclair, announced that the date had been moved to August 1st. The event will include vendors, entertainment, activities, and more in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Keep reading to learn more about Montclair Pride 2026 and what to expect.
About the Event
The 2026 Montclair Pride Festival will take place on Saturday, August 1st, 2026. Out Montclair’s official website says that attendees can expect live music, drag performances, food trucks, vendors, bar areas, a family zone, and an evening street-dance party.
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The festival will take place in downtown Montclair, with appearances by community organizations and LGBTQ+-owned businesses. Out Montclair has also announced volunteer opportunities, with more information here.
About Out Montclair + Past Festivals
Out Montclair was founded in 2021 as a non-profit organization to support and provide solidarity for 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. Reflecting the community of creative, compassionate, and fun-loving LGBTQIA+ individuals who live in and around Montclair, this volunteer-run organization places a special focus on programs specifically designed for teens, 21+, families, and 50+.
Out Montclair has had considerable support from the get-go when it first launched in 2021. The non-profit describes the community as steeped with talent in the creative 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.
Read more: LGBTQ+-Owned Businesses to Support in Montclair + Essex County
The first-ever Montclair Pride Festival was held on Saturday, June 11th, 2022 in Downtown Montclair. It had an impressive turnout, with nearly 100 vendors and sponsors from Montclair and the surrounding areas and drew an estimated crowd of about 15,000 attendees. Local restaurants + businesses showcased delicious food and locally-made products in booths for festival-goers to enjoy. The festival then returned for 2023 on Saturday, June 11th, and again for 2024 on Saturday, June 8th. The 2025 event took place on June 14th.
The 2026 festival was originally scheduled for Saturday, June 13th. However, organizers rescheduled the event to August 1st. Out Montclair shared the following statement on its website: “After careful evaluation of the financial and operational requirements necessary to safely produce Montclair Pride while keeping it free and accessible to the public, Out Montclair has postponed the festival to Saturday, August 1, 2026. This decision was made in accordance with the Township of Montclair and our public safety partners.”
There is also a GoFundMe for donations to the event.
Stay updated with Out Montclair and the Montclair Pride Festival here, as well as on Instagram. If you are interested in volunteering at the festival, email [email protected], and if you want to become an Out Montclair donor, email [email protected].
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