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By Suzanne Blake
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One of the oldest LGBTQ+ pride events has been shut down after struggling to secure enough sponsors.
The Tucson Pride Festival in Arizona was canceled Wednesday after organizers initially postponed the 2025 pride parade to February of this year.
Why It Matters
Pride events take place across the country as a way to celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ community as well as how far the movement for LGBTQ+ rights has come.
Read More on Politics
However, in recent years, criticism of LGBTQ+ issues, including transgender bathroom and sports inclusion, has surfaced. This may have played a role in the lack of sponsors signing on for the Tucson event.
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What To Know
The organizers of the annual Tucson Pride Festival announced the event would not be taking place this year, despite its initial postponement from the fall to next month.
"We want to thank the Tucson LGBTQ+ community and its allies for your unwavering support, passion, and commitment over the years," the organizer statement read. "Tucson Pride exists because of you, and its legacy will forever remain part of our city’s history."
In late October, the event was originally postponed from November 22 to February 21, 2026. However, now the entire pride parade and festival has been canceled.
Additionally, the new board of directors decided to shut down Tucson Pride entirely as an organization. It launched in 1977 and its annual celebration was the third-oldest LGBTQ+ pride event in the United States.
Organizers cited several issues spurring the event’s cancellation, including logistical challenges, and lower donations and sponsorships due to "shifting politics and increased hostility" toward the LGBTQ+ community. The organizers of Phoenix Pride said similar donation issues were seen for its event in late 2025.
All the money already donated for the festival will be refunded within 30 to 90 days, Tucson organizers said. The cancellation and shutdown announcement on Facebook sparked backlash from several.
“Wouldn't it make more sense to offer others to come in and reorganize? As we KNOW others will step forward for something to take its place. And reorganizing seems would save a lot of time, money and effort. Seems there should be more opportunities for others' input here. As Tucson Pride belonged to all of us,” one user said.
Another wrote: “I am deeply disappointed by the decision to end LGBTQ+ events and close this organization. As a straight person who has long stood as an advocate and ally for this community, this breaks my heart more than I can adequately express. These spaces, events, and organizations are not symbolic extras—they are lifelines that provide visibility, safety, affirmation, and belonging.”
“I can’t help but feel that this decision reflects a painful concession to the current political climate and administration rather than a commitment to the values of inclusion, courage, and equity that so many have worked tirelessly to uphold. History has shown us that progress is never preserved by silence or retreat.”
What People Are Saying
The Tucson Pride Board of Directors, in its statement on Facebook Wednesday: “This decision was not made lightly. We recognize the deep importance Tucson Pride has held in our community since 1977, serving as a space of visibility, advocacy, celebration, and resilience for nearly five decades. We are profoundly grateful to every volunteer, sponsor, artist, activist, and community member who has supported Tucson Pride throughout its history.”
What Happens Next
A new organization has not stepped up to replace Tucson Pride, and no LGBTQ+ community events are scheduled at the moment in the Arizona city.
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