GayDays Inc. will hold the festival this year at a new host hotel in Kissimmee, organizers announced.
Earlier this month, the group announced that its June event had been suspended, but emails to supporters and updates on its official website indicate it will be held in 2026. Additionally, several new events have been added, including comedy shows and game shows.
Current activities are scheduled for June 4-8 at the Holiday Inn & Suites Orlando Southwest – Celebration Area on Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. The entire 440-room resort has been booked by Gay Days, and all official events will be held there, organizers said.
“This is the year we bring energy back to one place,” Charles Cantrell of GayDays said in an email.
“We focused on listening to the community and creating a space that truly felt like ours,” says Josh Duke.
Last year’s host hotel was the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando on International Drive.
The 2026 schedule currently includes a pool party, foam party, piano lounge, comedy show, drag bingo, karaoke, Miss Gay Day Pageant, Mr. Gay Day Leather Contest, and a vendor expo.
This will be the 35th time the event has been held. Its roots date back to 1991, when members of an online community decided to meet at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park. They wore red shirts to make it easier to spot each other in the crowds at Walt Disney World.
Throw a Party: Orlando’s LGBTQ Gatherings Planned for June
In the decades since, the effort has expanded, with multiple organizers hosting events at theme parks and venues along International Drive. GayDays Inc. is one such group, but “Gay Days” is still a casual catch-all term for all LGBTQ-themed events held in Orlando during the first weekend in June. More than 150,000 participants have been reported in the past few years.
Options for 2026 include One Magical Weekend, Bear Jamboree, Girls in Wonderland, Pride Cup, a series of athletic competitions, and other nightclub promotions.
GayDays Inc. event tickets and hotel reservations are now available. For more information, visit gaydays.com.
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com
