Pride Month is taking small-town Iowa by storm in 2026. Check out these festivals, 5Ks, markets, and more to connect with like-minded people this year.
Ope, it’s somehow already Pride Month. If you’re like us, you’re going into the queerest month of the year a little unprepared thanks to everything in the world being completely unhinged throughout 2026. But you don’t have to worry; we dug our heels in the dirt and created a comprehensive list of small-town Pride events being held across Iowa.
We all know that larger cities like Des Moines and Cedar Rapids have showstopping Pride events, but not everyone can travel to them. Plus, Iowans from small towns deserve to celebrate throughout June as well, and the more folks who attend these smaller events, the more they can flourish and return year after year.
In 2026, you can hit up 12 different small-town events, from full festivals to runs and even a drag queen-hosted bingo night. Some towns even have more than one event happening throughout June. So, without further ado, here’s your small-town checklist for Pride Month in 2026.
1. Riverside Pride Festival 2026
Where: Central Park in Fort Madison
When: Friday, June 5, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: Free
If you’re looking for queer-friendly spaces to feel safe in Iowa this Pride Month, you should start with Riverside Pride Festival 2026. This festival is in its fifth year and welcomes not only everyone from Lee County but also those from across the state, bringing them together for a few hours of fun. The event is family-friendly, with live music, live drag performances, fun vendors, and more.
2. Ankeny Pride Rainbow Run
Where: 4th and Walnut in Ankeny
When: Saturday, June 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Price: Free
Also on the first weekend of Pride Month is the Ankeny Pride Rainbow Run. This event is in its fifth year as well, and though “run” is in its name, it’s geared toward everyone, whether you walk, use a wheelchair, or follow the route in any other way. Registration is free, but you can nab a T-shirt for just $5 to remember this event forever. Oh, and it’s open to everyone regardless of age, so get out on June 6 with all of your loved ones and wave your flags high as you parade the streets of Ankeny.
3. Oskaloosa Pride
Where: Town Square in Oskaloosa
When: Saturday, June 6, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Price: Free
Oskaloosa Pride is another family-friendly Pride festival taking place the first weekend of June. The 2026 event will feature local drag performers like Komplete Moon, Matte Black, and Peach’s Diamond, as well as everything else you’d expect at a Pride festival, including vendors and good food.
Oh, and did we mention there’s an after-party? Oh yes. Starting at 9 p.m., the event will transform into a dance party for those ages 21 and up. Note that the party costs $15, while the main festival is free.
4. Ottumwa Pride Market
Where: Ballingall Park (210 W Main St, Ottumwa)
When: Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Price: Free
Less partier and more shopper? Look no further than the Ottumwa Pride Market, a gathering of eclectic vendors setting up shop for a few hours to sell their wares. This is an amazing opportunity to support small businesses being led by LGBTQ+ crafters and makers, and the vibes will be just as off the charts as the products and vendors, thanks to the live music that’s slated to fill the air. Food trucks will also be stopping by. So, really, what lunch plans could be better than this?
5. Pride Skate Night
Where: Ottumwa YMCA (611 N Hancock St, Ottumwa)
When: Friday, June 12, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Price: Free
The week after Ottumwa’s Pride Market is the city’s Pride Skate Night, held in conjunction with the local YMCA. This event will bring everyone together for a full evening of fun on the rink, though the event’s Facebook page notes that there will be additional activities for those who either don’t like to skate or can’t. This is one of the most fun events of the month, in our opinion—perfect for grabbing your loved ones and letting loose, letting the good vibes and music transport you to paradise for a short time.
6. Pride in the Park 2026
Where: Crapo Park (2800 Madison Ave, Burlington)
When: Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
Back for another year of fun under the sun, Burlington’s Pride in the Park 2026 will be held at Crapo Park’s Large Shelter House and promises to be oodles of family-friendly fun. Its Facebook page notes that it’s one of the biggest events in southeast Iowa, and its lineup proves it. Drag performances, food trucks, small-business vendors, kids’ activities, live music, and more will keep Crapo Park’s pulse going strong all afternoon. One of our favorite highlights of the day is the pet parade. Get your little guy dressed up in the cutest, campiest little Pride outfit and let it strut its stuff!
7. Let Love Fly
Where: Centennial Park (1565 St Andrews Dr., North Liberty)
When: Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Price: Free
Let Love Fly is a free, family-friendly Pride Month event where love soars above all else. We’ve all heard the sayings about love trumping hate, but at this event, that’s taken rather literally, with giant kites taking to the heavens to showcase colorful displays of unity. In fact, the “why” on the event’s website is simply: “Love is love!” This event comes complete with a DJ, giveaways, food trucks, and more, so there’s plenty to taste, see, and do through its four hours.
8. Drag Bingo
Where: Amore Italian Restaurant (332 E Main St, Ottumwa)
When: Thursday, June 18, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: $10
Held at Ottumwa’s Amore Italian Restaurant, the June 18 Drag Bingo event is sure to spice up your life (or at least your evening). The games are set to run for three hours—from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.—but you can get there an hour early to settle in, order a drink, and get a bite to eat. You’ll want to get comfy, too, because the evening’s hosts, Andromeda VonTeeze Valentino and Zafira Marie Valentino, are going to put on a show. With fun prizes abounding, you may not sashay away empty-handed, either!
9. 2026 Ankeny Pride Celebration
Where: Southview Middle School (1020 SW Cherry St, Ankeny)
When: Saturday, June 20, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: Free
In its fifth year, the 2026 Ankeny Pride Celebration is slated to make Southview Middle School a beautiful, welcoming hotspot for LGBTQ+ folks and allies on the evening of June 20. Like other Pride Month events, it will have food trucks, live music, and local vendors, allowing you to support local chefs, artisans, singers, and makers while you build community with those from Ankeny—and across the state.
10. Pride 5K: Walk, Run, & Roll
Where: Bass Street Landing (1601 River Drive #306, Moline, IL)
When: Saturday, June 27, from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Price: $44.35
This year marks the fourth Pride 5K: Walk, Run, & Roll, and it’s arriving with a new course. Yes, in addition to its usual 5K and 1-mile options, the 2026 event features a 10K route for those who really want to go the distance, in the words of Disney’s Hercules. Registering for the race grants you a T-shirt, water bottle, medallion, and bracelet, so you’ll leave fully swagged out.
Perhaps the most fun part of the day is the “World of Wizard of Oz” costume contest being held alongside the races. Folks competing in the race are encouraged to dress up, though they don’t have to. LGBTQ+ folks have long loved “The Wizard of Oz”—there’s a reason we’re called “friends of Dorothy,” after all—so this contest feels beautifully radical and poignant in today’s political climate.
11. Pride Party at Bass Street Landing
Where: Bass Street Landing (1601 River Drive #306, Moline, IL)
When: Saturday, June 27, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Price: Free
Bass Street Landing has experienced a huge overhaul in recent years, as outlined on the city’s website, and what better time is there to witness its beauty than the 2026 Pride Party at Bass Street Landing? This free event features live music, drag performances from more than a handful of local icons, and food from seven local vendors to boot. Plus, with the Mississippi River so close, you’ll have stunning views and maybe even a light breeze to keep you cool as you dance the night away.
12. Fort Dodge Pride Festival
Where: Central Ave. between 10th and 12th in Fort Dodge
When: Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
Rounding out Pride Month 2026 is the Fort Dodge Pride Festival. This is a perfect event to attend, whether you’ve participated in others earlier in the month or not; it’s taking over a few streets in the city and promises to be a fun, joy-filled time where members of the LGBTQ+ community can freely dance, sing, mingle, and more. Food trucks will be servicing the event, and live performances will keep the electric energy alive. This is one event you really won’t want to miss.
