EUGENE, ORE. — Eugene Pride canceled its annual rally and march for 2026, though community members held an unauthorized rally and march on June 27, 2026. The unsanctioned event proceeded from Kesey Square to the Lane Events Center without official permits.

Eugene Police Department Chief Skinner stated that Eugene Pride organizers declined to submit permits for the march and rally, leading to the cancellation of the official event. Pride organizers indicated that they chose to forego permit fees for the parade to properly insure the larger festival at the Lane Events Center.

The community march began at 9:30 a.m. at Kesey Square. A crowd marched from Kesey Square to the Lane Events Center around 10 a.m. Volunteers used bicycles to block streets and communicate with nearby vehicles during the march. Ty Weston, a Eugene local, brought a speaker and microphone to the event, stating, "Even when everything is going against you, even when your voice is getting repressed, you stand up and speak anyways. That's the origin of pride."

Pride officials ended their partnership with the Eugene Police Department after body camera footage of an officer making racist remarks surfaced earlier in the year. Former officer Martin Siller was recorded making disparaging comments about Black people on Jan. 30. Eugene Pride also stated in a blog post that trans activists were detained during a Jan. 30 protest in front of the Eugene Federal Building.

Speakers and marchers carried signs against the Eugene Police Department, chanting phrases such as "Chief Skinner gone now" and other slogans expressing defiance toward the police department. Rachael Noa, a Eugene local, described the police department's stance, stating, "The fact that EPD wasn't in support of the cause was very saddening. I felt like our safety was in jeopardy." No counter-protesters were present at the 2026 Eugene Pride event, which marked a change from previous years; counter-protesters had been present at the rally and parade in 2024 and at the parade in 2025, though they maintained their distance in the latter year. Performances by queer artists, comedians, and drag queens took place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Why It Matters

Permit acquisition allows city officials to close streets and enables police to provide security for events. The decision by Eugene Pride to not obtain permits for the parade for 2026 contrasts with their collaboration with the Eugene Police Department for security during the 2025 event. This shift occurred with ongoing tensions, including the surfacing of body camera footage involving a former officer and a protest where trans activists were detained.