LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration at New England Botanic Garden
September 4, 2025 | 5-9PM
Join us as we celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and the week of Pride Worcester with an unforgettable evening of lively entertainment and fun festivities. Enjoy gardens of beautiful blooms and a beer garden serving craft drinks and light bites. Show your support by shopping local from talented LGBTQ+ artisan vendors and connect with community organizations providing valuable resources. The celebration continues with live music by Giuliano D’Orazio and a spectacular Drag Show featuring DJ Coleslaw and several fabulous drag performers!
FOOD & DRINK
Enjoy a variety of craft beers, wines, cocktails, mocktails, and snacks from our beer garden and regular menu selections from Farmer and the Fork café. Menu coming soon. Outside alcohol is not permitted at the Garden.
Farmer and the Fork café: Dinner: 5-7:30 p.m. | Drinks and Desserts: 5-8:30 p.m.
Beer Garden: 5-8:30 p.m.
ACTIVITIES
5–6:30 p.m. | Live Music by Giuliano D’Orazio
5:30–6 p.m. | Drag Queen Storytime with Harley Queen
6:30–9 p.m. | Music with DJ Coleslaw
7–8:30 p.m. | Drag Show
(Tipping the queens/kings during the drag show is a great way to show your support, so don’t forget to bring cash! There are no ATMs located onsite).
- Lawn Games
- Dress-Up Station
- Craft for All Ages: Paper Flower Crowns
- No Evil Project Photoshoot
- Artisan Vendors
- Kat Cuseo Art
- Kestrop Studio
- Salvej
- Resource Groups
- Advocates
- Kennedy Community Health Center
- LGBT Asylum Task Force
- Love Your Labels
- Safe Homes (Open Sky Community Services)
- Worcester LGBTQ+ Elder Network (WLEN)
OTHER PRIDE-THEMED PROGRAMS
Tuesday, September 3, 6-8:30pm | Registration link coming soon
Explore lavender’s deep ties to LGBTQ+ empowerment through storytelling, tea, and crafting with dried and fresh florals. All materials and lavender treats provided.
Membre: $40; Non-Member: $48
Celebrate Pride with an uplifting all-levels yoga class. Connect and relax in an affirming, inclusive space to move, breathe, and connect with community in nature.
Thursday, September 4, 2-3:30p.m. | Registration link coming soon
Member: $15; Non-Member: $30
Unwind with an all-levels yoga class and relax in our subtropical conservatory. Connect with your practice in a safe, inclusive space surrounded by lush greenery.
Thursday, September 11, 6-7:15p.m. | Register here
Member: $15; Non-Member: $18
FAQs
Our Pride Celebration is a vibrant, joyful event intended to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and foster a sense of belonging and connection. The event features a variety of festivities that include and highlight various facets of the LGBTQ+ community, such as drag performances, artisan vendors, music performances, and important organizations and resource groups that serve the community. Please view the activity schedule above for more details.
The event is free flowing with some timed activities. You may choose how to spend your evening and which activities you would like to participate in. Activities will take place both indoors and outdoors, weather-permitting, and are centrally located in or around the Visitors Center. All ages are welcome to attend this event – there is something for everyone to enjoy!
Our Pride Celebration runs from 5-9 p.m. Visitors are welcome to arrive at any point within that time frame and once checked in, are welcome to stay until the event ends at 9 p.m. Some activities take place throughout the entire evening while others are scheduled for a specific time. Please view the schedule above if you are interested in attending a certain activity.
New England Botanic Garden is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for general admission. If you arrive early, please wait in your vehicle until 5 p.m. when the Pride Celebration begins.
If you are visiting during general admission hours but have tickets to the Pride Celebration that evening, we ask that you please exit the property and return at the time listed on your event ticket.
The Farmer and the Fork café will be serving their regular café menu and our beer garden will be featuring a variety of craft beers, wines, cocktails, mocktails, and snacks. Menu coming soon.
Visitors are also welcome to bring their own picnics to have at our scattered tables throughout the grounds or may spread a blanket on any mown grassy area. Outside alcohol is not permitted at the Garden.
Yes, the Garden Shop will be open during this event.
While we love our furry, four-legged friends, pets are not permitted during special after-hours events like our Pride Celebration. Service animals are welcome throughout the property during all open hours.
Our Pride Celebration takes place rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, outdoor activities will be moved indoors but all festivities will run as usual.
In the case of hazardous weather, New England Botanic Garden may decide to close. If so, you will be notified by email as soon as possible on the day of your visit and all ticket reservations will be cancelled.
If you are no longer able to attend the event, please notify our Registrar at registrar@nebg.org so that we can release your tickets for other visitors to reserve.
After parking your vehicle, proceed up the path into the Visitors Center. Please have your ticket/confirmation email printed or available to show on your phone for our front desk staff to check you in.
We have a large, well-lit parking lot on site. There is no charge for parking.
Accessible parking is located closest to the building in the first parking lot on the right. You can learn more about accessibility at the Garden here.
If you choose to use Uber, Lyft, or another taxi service, please note that our entry gate on French Drive will close automatically for arriving vehicles at the end of the event. Please plan to be picked up before the property closes at 9 p.m.