YOU ARE / WE ARE
HOTTER THAN JULY 30th ANNIVERSARY
The official 2026 Schedule
RSVP LINKS
THURSDAY, JULY 23 | 5:30 PM - CANDLELIGHT VIGIL at palmer park blue spruce tree
THURSDAY, July 23 | 7 PM - ANNUAL GATHERING: CANDIDATE FORUM
THURSDAY, July 23 | 9 PM - AVENUE OF FASHION: BAR CRAWL MIXER
Friday, July 24 | 6 PM - ART & FILM FESTIVAL (HONORING DUANE BELIN)
FRIDAY, JULY 24 | 9 PM - CLOSE FRENZ PRESENTS: THE INFERNO (OFFICIAL FRIDAY NIGHT PARTY)
Saturday, July 25 | 12 PM - PALMER PARK PICNIC
SATURDAY, JULY 25 | 7 PM - HOT LIKE FIRE 2 I OFFICIAL SATURDAY NIGHT PARTY (HOSTED BY: CLOSE FRENZ)
SUNDAY, JULY 26 | 11 AM - WORSHIP SERVICE (HOSTED BY: ONE CHURCH DETROIT)
Sunday, July 26 | 1 PM - CLOSE FRENZ PRESENTS: SUNDAZE - APPRECIATION PARTY
Sunday, July 26 | 5 PM - UPSIDE DOWN: STROLLING BRUNCH (HOSTED BY: IMAGINE THIS PRODUCTIONS)
DETROIT’S LONGEST RUNNING BLACK LGBT+ PRIDE
THURSDAY, JULY 23 To FRIDAY, JULY 26
YOU ARE | WE ARE | HOTTER THAN JULY
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YOU ARE | WE ARE | HOTTER THAN JULY 〰️
Your voice. Your vote. Your future.
Join us for the 2026 Hotter Than July Annual Gathering for LGBT+ Issues, featuring our Candidate Forum with confirmed candidates Adam Hollier and Eboni Taylor (Michigan State Senate District 3), Donavan McKinney (Michigan's 13th Congressional District), and Maurice Morton (Michigan's 13th Congressional District), with additional candidates to be announced.
The evening will be co-moderated by Detroit journalist and author Aaron Foley and LGBT Detroit Live co-host Joseph "Joe Black" Hunter, guiding an important conversation on the issues impacting Black LGBTQ+ communities.
Thursday, July 23 | 7:00–9:00 PM
LGBT Detroit – Marvin Lee Building
20025 Greenfield Rd., Detroit, MI 48235
Free and open to the public.
Learn more at hotterthanjuly.org.
20025 Greenfield Rd.
Detroit, MI 48235
RSVP FOR FREE BELOW
The official lineup has arrived.
Join us for the 2026 Hotter Than July Art & Film Festival on Friday, July 24, from 6 PM to 9 PM at LGBT Detroit's Marvin Lee Building as we celebrate the power of Black LGBTQ+ storytelling through film, art, and community.
This year's official selections include:
• To Move in My Mother's Prayers — Directed by Diop Russell. A coming-of-age story about a rebellious nonbinary teenager navigating family expectations and identity.
• Handwoven — Directed by Dasha Levin, Mason Cazalet, Mihika Das, and Matthew Wisdom. A lyrical documentary following Diné weaver Nikyle Begay as they preserve culture, tradition, and community.
• Publicly Released — Directed by Connor Edwards. A heartfelt drama about a rising football player preparing to come out publicly while his boyfriend struggles to do the same.
• SYZYGY — Directed by J. Michael Hayes and Neskeshia Hayes. An Afro-surrealist journey through time and memory celebrating Black queer joy, love, and liberation.
Also experience the exclusive Hotter Than July premieres of:
• Heaven In Detroit: A Sanctuary of Sound — Directed by Chris INPAQ Sutton. A celebration of the legacy of Club Heaven and Detroit's Black LGBTQ+ community.
• Jamaal: Love Code — Directed by Philip Johnson. A new sci-fi series and spin-off of the 2024 award-winning short film Jamaal, following a friendly AI android brought into a couple's home.
The evening will also honor the life and legacy of Detroit artist Duane Belin, whose Liberal Arts Gallery inspired generations of local creatives.
Admission is free with RSVP:
HOTTER THAN JULY IS POWERED BY
Gilead Sciences • CNS Healthcare • Community Health Awareness Group • PRISM •
T-Mobile • ViiV Healthcare • Food For Thought Catering • One Church Detroit •
Black Bear Brotherhood • Bowers Realty & Investments • Close Frenz •
The Gentleman's Network • Pandora's Boxx • Vivent Health
Become a HTJ PATRON
TAKE A LOOK BACK AT OUR
HOTTER THAN JULY 30th ANNIVERSARY
PALMER PARK PICNIC ENTERTAINMENT STAGE
Join us for the Hotter Than July Picnic: Royal Rumble Edition — THIS Saturday from 12 PM to 6 PM, where the vibes are high, the energy is electric, and the talent is royally unmatched. Featuring a star-studded cast of entertainers including:
✨ Calvin Lee
✨ Nick Ferri
✨ PeeJay Eugene
✨ Mister Mizes
✨ Prince Devv
✨ Cierra Malone
✨ Ej Dior
✨ Dominique Polo
✨ Star DeLour
✨ Montrelle Blu
…and so many more!
Bring your fans, your flags, your lawn chairs, and your full self. This is community, this is legacy, this is the Hotter Than July Picnic.
WATCH THE ANNUAL GATHERING LIVE
The Hotter Than July Annual Gathering for LGBT Issues features “The Mayoral Candidate Forum” and “The State of the Movement.” The Annual Gathering welcomes Detroit leaders in education, health, faith, and advocacy on Friday, July 25 at the University of Michigan - Detroit Center, located at 3663 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201. The day begins at 8:30 with breakfast for attendees.
Gain a deeper understanding of how we reached the incredible 30-year milestone of Black LGBT+ Pride in Detroit — through the words of someone who has been a fundamental part of that legacy from the very beginning.
Author, poet, producer, and writer Damon “Magic” Percy has help lead and shape Hotter Than July in a multitude of ways over the past three decades, and continues to honor the future of this community celebration with his featured article within Between The Lines.
Check out the full story on Pridesource.com and find out more on how you can celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Hotter Than July at hotterthanjuly.org
Photo Credit - Andrew Potter
How Three Decades of Hotter Than July Built Detroit's Black LGBTQ+ Legacy
THE FILM FESTIVAL
The Annual Hotter Than July Film Festival will be held, Thursday, July 24, 2025 at the Paul Robeson Theaters within the Northwest Activities Center, located at 18100 Meyers Rd, Detroit, MI 48235. The festival starts at 6:00 pm. Admittance is free.
Join us for a powerful evening of storytelling at the Hotter Than July 30th Anniversary Film Festival, a cornerstone event in the celebration of three decades of Black LGBTQ+ Pride in Detroit. Hosted by LGBT Detroit and curated by Chris Inpaq Sutton and Joseph “Joe Black” Hunter, this free community event honors the vibrant legacy of Hotter Than July — the longest-running Black LGBTQ+ Pride celebration in the world.
MOTOR CITY PRIDE PARADE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF HOTTER THAN JULY
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Motor City Pride for recognizing the 30th Anniversary of Hotter Than July, and for honoring our very own A. Nzere Kwabena as Grand Marshal of this year’s Pride Parade. For over three decades, Nzere has led with strength, bravery, and vision—anchoring LGBT Detroit and the Hotter Than July movement in a spirit of unapologetic Black LGBTQ+ pride and purpose.
In a time when our identities, rights, and very lives are under increasing political attack, this moment reminds us that we are stronger united, not divided. When we show up together—Black, brown, queer, trans, allies and all—we build a future rooted in community, resistance, and love. Our unity today plants seeds for a stronger, more inclusive tomorrow.
A special thank you to Dave Wait, Chairperson of Motor City Pride, for his continued partnership and support to LGBT+ communities. Congratulations to Joseph Hunter, who led the charge in organizing Hotter Than July’s presence at this year’s parade, alongside the entire LGBT Detroit team, who showed up and showed out . Your efforts helped make this moment unforgettable.
Let’s keep the celebration going! Join us for the full week of Hotter Than July, from Tuesday, July 22 to Sunday, July 27. Let’s stand proud, march bold, and celebrate our legacy.
