The People’s Joy Parade Will Happen at Tower Grove Pride This Year

This event will be your pride and joy (Get it? Get it?)

Mar 10, 2023 at 10:15 am

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Theo Welling

If you want to walk down the street while playing your instrument while wearing a business suit and donkey ears and sunglasses from the future, that's very welcome at the People's Joy Parade.

One of the best events of the year is merging with one of the other best events of the year.

The People’s Joy Parade is merging with Tower Grove Pride this year, which means that the resulting event must officially be declared The Happiest Event in St. Louis by the mayor or something. (Is that an official award? It should be.)

The People’s Joy Parade is a small parade that is usually held just off of Cherokee Street and it’s always one of the most magical events of the year. For a $25 fee, anyone can join in this little parade and march down the street showing off what they love.

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Theo Welling

If you want to match clothes with your daddy while walking on top of a giant beach ball, that's totally cool at the People's Joy Parade.

We’ve gushed about our love for this Cinco de Mayo weekend parade before, but it really does bring an explosion of joy whenever it happens. You might see anything and everything at the People’s Joy Parade.

From when we wrote about it in 2022:

“The parade is all about what brings you joy. Anyone can join, and it’s all about just displaying your talents, using your skills and sharing what makes you happy.

You want to dress up like a poodle and crawl down the street? Cool. You want to cruise down the road on a two-story bicycle? No problem. You want to dress up like a clown and throw confetti at people? Totally fine. You want to hula hoop down the street, show off a costume that you made, blast some music, prance, dance, march with your drum line and more? Yep, sure, great. There are (hardly) any rules at the People’s Joy Parade.”

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Theo Welling

If you want to be the best people on the planet while cruising your decorated Volvo down the street and being worshipped by the crowd, that's just what happens at the People's Joy Parade.

Tower Grove Pride used to be held during Pride month, but when the party got bumped because of COVID-19, the organizers found that everybody much preferred the event when it was held in temperate St. Louis September instead of sweaty St. Louis June. So now Tower Grove Pride happens each September and everybody is happier and the drag queens are deeply relieved and not sweating off their makeup immediately.

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Theo Welling

If you like to get weird and you want the whole world to know, you can find some new friends with similar interests at the People's Joy Parade.

Because of scheduling conflicts this year, the small People’s Joy Parade staff can’t host the event in May, but instead of canceling, they’ve moved it to coincide with Tower Grove Pride. So the People’s Joy Parade 2023 will be held on Sunday, September 24 starting at 10 a.m.

Hit up the Facebook event page for more information on where to catch the parade or how to join the parade. And you should join. Anyone with some love to share is welcome.

Hopefully next year the People’s Joy Parade will return to its usual schedule. It’s just too special to lose.