Arlington 2026 Pride event suspended after city council removes protection
The organizers have announced plans to suspend the 2026 Arlington Pride event after the City Council voted to remove protections for LGBTQ+ residents from the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance.
“We cannot, in good conscience, invite attendees to an event in a city that refuses to provide even the most basic protection,” DeeJay Johannessen, CEO of the HELP Center, the organization that produces Arlington Pride said in a statement.
The event had been scheduled for June 10 at Levitt Pavilion in downtown Arlington.
The Arlington City Council voted 5-4 on Dec. 9 to remove protections for LGBTQ+ residents as part of an amendment to its anti-discrimination ordinance.
“Their vote leaves Arlington with no local protection against discrimination for LGBTQ plus people, women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, veterans or families with children,” according to the statement from the HELP Center, which has offices in Arlington and Fort Worth.
Arlington Pride started in June 2022 and is the largest Pride event in North Texas, which had over 30,000 attendees in the first three years, according to the statement.
“Pride is about safety, celebration, and community,” Johannessen said. Without local anti-discrimination safeguards, we cannot guarantee those values for our attendees, performers, or partners.”
The council first decided to temporarily suspend the anti-discrimination ordinance in August until city staffers could create amendments that removed diversity, equity and inclusion language to comply with federal orders.
The decision to make amendments was delayed in October and in November, before the City Council made its decision on Dec. 9.
The city risked losing $65 million in federal grant money if a decision was not made, following President Donald Trump’s threat to withhold funding to cities with DEI programs.
This story was originally published December 14, 2025 at 4:17 PM.