Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance Announces 2026 Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival

HARRISONBURG, Va. — September 4, 2026 — The Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance (SVPA) is proud to announce the 2026 Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival, taking place Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 12:30–6:00 p.m. at Turner Pavilion in downtown

Harrisonburg, Virginia.

The annual festival will bring together LGBTQ+ people, families, friends, allies, community organizations, businesses, entertainers, and supporters from throughout the Shenandoah Valley for an afternoon celebrating community, visibility, equality, and belonging.

This year’s festival will feature an exciting lineup of live entertainment headlined by Shelly Fairchild, a Singer/Songwriter and Nashville Recording Artist, and Athena Dion, an American drag performer from Season 18 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Additional performers and entertainers from the Shenandoah Valley and beyond will round out the festival’s entertainment lineup.

Throughout the afternoon, attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with local organizations, explore vendor booths, learn about community resources, support businesses and organizations that stand with the LGBTQ+ community, and celebrate Pride alongside friends and neighbors.

New for 2026, festival attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in SVPA’s Silent Auction, featuring goods, services, and experiences donated by local businesses and community supporters. Online bidding will be available until 5:00 p.m. on the day of the festival. Attendees can browse auction items and place their bids through the Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance website at shenandoahvalleypride.org.

“Shenandoah Valley Pride has always been about more than a single festival,” said Erin West, President of the Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance. “It’s about creating a place where people can come together and know that they belong. Whether someone has been part of the LGBTQ+ community for decades, is attending Pride for the first time, or simply wants to stand alongside their friends and neighbors, we want them to know there is a place for them here.”

The 2026 festival continues SVPA’s work to increase LGBTQ+ visibility and strengthen community connections throughout the Shenandoah Valley. At a time when LGBTQ+ people—particularly transgender youth and their families—continue to face uncertainty and challenges across the country, SVPA believes opportunities to gather openly and celebrate community remain especially important.

Pride is both a celebration of how far the LGBTQ+ community has come and a commitment to the work that remains.

SVPA invites the entire Shenandoah Valley to attend the festival and help create an environment centered on dignity, respect, inclusion, and joy.

2026 SHENANDOAH VALLEY PRIDE FESTIVAL

Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026Time: 12:30–6:00 p.m.Location: Turner Pavilion, Harrisonburg, VirginiaFeatured Entertainment:Shelly Fairchild — Singer/Songwriter and Nashville Recording ArtistAthena Dion — American drag performer from Season 18 of RuPaul’s Drag RacePresented by: Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance

ABOUT THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY PRIDE ALLIANCE

The Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance (SVPA) works to foster a Shenandoah Valley where LGBTQ+ people are welcomed, supported, celebrated, and empowered. Through community events, education, advocacy, partnerships, and affirming spaces, SVPA works to strengthen connections and create a greater sense of belonging throughout the region.

MEDIA CONTACT

Shenandoah Valley Pride AllianceEmail: info@shenandoahvalleypride.orgWebsite: shenandoahvalleypride.org