The 49th-annual Rhode Island Pride took place this past Saturday, June 21, drawing over 100,000 people to Providence for a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community — and just one of many festivals taking place across the state and the country in celebration of Pride Month this June. Some numbers to tell the story:
Aug. 1, 2013 — day that gay marriage was legalized in Rhode Island
2,775 — number of same-sex married couples in Rhode Island (as of 2020)
2,204 — number of same-sex unmarried couples in Rhode Island (as of 2020)
2002 — year Providence elected its first openly gay mayor (and the first openly gay mayor of any U.S. state capital)
2 — number of openly gay mayors of Providence
1976 — year the first Pride march was hosted in Providence
1 — number of night-time illuminated Pride parades in New England — and it takes place in Providence
75 — number of people at the first Rhode Island Pride event
About 125,000 — number of people estimated to attend Rhode Island Pride in 2025
Sources:
“U.S. Census Bureau Data” by U.S. Census Bureau
Rhode Island PRIDE Sponsorship Overview 2025
“Civil Unions” by Rhode Island Department of Health
“Human Rights Campaign Congratulates Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island on Groundbreaking Career in Congress as Champion for LGBTQ+ Equality” by Delphine Luneau
“Providence, Rhode Island voters elect openly gay Brett Smiley next mayor” by Boston Spirit
Sebastian Connolly is a Providence resident, currently a sophomore at Harvard College studying Chemistry and Physics. In his free time he enjoys watching West Wing and, like any good Rhode Islander, spending time at the beach.
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