Jacksonville's annual River City Pride celebration takes over Riverside, Avondale and 5 Points this weekend, with a parade stepping off Saturday afternoon and a full day of festival programming following Sunday in Riverside Park. The weekend includes a parade, an after-party, a festival with live entertainment and family-friendly activities spread across two days.
The Pride Parade begins at 2 p.m. Saturday from Historic Willow Branch Park, according to News4JAX. Organizers describe the route as a 1.5-mile celebration through Jacksonville's Historic Avondale, Riverside and 5 Points neighborhoods, according to jaxrcpride.org. The parade will begin promptly at 2 p.m., per the same account, and march down Park Street before turning onto King Street, Post Street and Stockton Street, then turning onto Park Street, Post Street and Margaret Street. Jimmy Peluso will serve as grand marshal of the parade, per News4JAX.
Accounts differ on exactly where the route ends: jaxrcpride.org states on one page that the parade will finish at Riverside Park, while another page from the same organizer says the parade ends in Jacksonville's 5 Points business district. News4JAX reports the parade travels 1.5 miles to Riverside Park. The parade is family-friendly and open to all ages, the station notes.
Staging Times and Parking Warnings
Large buses, floats and billboard-type entries may begin staging at 9 a.m. Saturday, while all other entries begin staging at 11 a.m., with staging ending at 12:30 p.m., according to jaxrcpride.org. There is no official participant parking, organizers said, and attendees and participants are encouraged to plan ahead and carpool or use rideshare services. An information tent at the Willow Branch Library will handle check-in, questions and assistance throughout the morning.
Registration for parade entries closed on Sept. 25, 2026, and organizers said no late entries will be accepted. Participants cannot register or pay at the parade itself, per jaxrcpride.org, and the organizer notes only one vehicle or float is allowed per registered group or individual unless additional vehicles were purchased before the deadline. The event overall is cashless, rain-or-shine and nonrefundable, according to News4JAX.
Saturday After-Party and Sunday Festival Lineup
An after-party is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at 1059 Park St., following the parade, per News4JAX. The festival itself runs Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Riverside Park, with a main stage lineup that includes DJ Supa Dave from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Seventh Street Band from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Kristy Lee from 4 to 6 p.m., and a drag revue from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. restricted to ages 18 and older.
A Kid Zone will run alongside the main stage, featuring self-portrait activities, story time, a kids dance party, rainbow arts and crafts, games and prizes, plus a hair, paint and glitter runway show, a bubble party and a last-dance activity. The festival includes live entertainment, a Family Fun Zone and dozens of local vendors, according to jaxrcpride.org. Visit Jacksonville lists the festival and parade for Oct. 3-4, 2026, and notes that the city celebrates Pride twice a year, in both June and October.
A Riverside Pride Tradition
The celebration has become a fixture for the neighborhood. It is an annual event. The festival includes vendors and a Family Fun Zone.
Attendees are encouraged to check the Jax River City Pride website and parade information page for updates ahead of the weekend.
