The Central Alabama Pride festival in Birmingham is getting national attention this week as NBC's "The Kelly Clarkson Show" spotlights this year's events and its president, Josh Coleman, during a "What I'm Liking" segment. The segment will air June 11 at 3 p.m.
"At a time when families across Alabama are under attack, Central Alabama Pride stands tall as a beacon of hope, celebration, and resistance," Coleman said in a press release.
Coleman is Birmingham's deputy director, division of social justice and racial equity, director of the city's academy of civic engagement and LGBTQ+ liaison under Mayor Randall Woodfin. Woodfin's campaign is a sponsor of the event.
Coleman wrote the children's book "Finding My Rainbow," aimed at children aged 8-13. According to the publisher, the book details Coleman's experience as a gay young man: "In a community where certain truths are not openly discussed, Josh grapples with understanding and embracing his sexuality in the face of societal expectations and norms."
"Central Alabama Pride has grown exponentially, now attracting over 20,000 attendees annually. Our signature event, PrideFest, is a free, outdoor celebration that draws together the LGBTQ+ community, their allies, and supporters for a day filled with food, live music, and headlining entertainment. PrideFest is the pinnacle of a 10+ day series of events in June, which also includes our iconic Pride Parade—a high-energy, Mardi Gras-style night parade that has become a beloved tradition since its inception in 1989," the organization's website explains.
The Central Alabama Pride store, featured on the PrideFest website, sells T-shirts promoting the Children's Book "Finding My Rainbow," along with one that reads "Protect Trans Kids." In addition, they have pride flags for bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, asexual, omnisexual, abrosexual, and intersex flags as well as bear and twink flags.
The Grand Marshals for Pridefest 2025 are State Rep. Neil Rafferty (D-Birmingham), his partner, Mike Rudolph, and Victoria Taylor, a drag performer.
Recognizable sponsors of the festival include Planned Parenthood, Shipt, a subsidiary of Target, Books-A-Million, Kroger, Bradley, Spire, the City of Birmingham, Jefferson County Health Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Department and Alabama Media Group.
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