By Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine Staff

As we travel back into Nye County for 2025, we will celebrate five amazing years of Pahrump PROUD! Originally the brainchild of Jim McCoy, immediate friends Craig Bohannon and James Davis jumped in to make the event one of the first annual National Pride month (June) celebrations in Pahrump Valley. This year, in conjunction with the Southern Nevada Association of PRIDE, Inc., Pahrump PROUD will become Pahrump PRIDE.

Pahrump PROUD has been established as a yearly Queer Event that is filled with community partners, artist, service providers, entertainers, and local social and performance groups. The Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Casino hosts two to three hundred guests on the last Sunday in June. The hotel staff and management are always delighted when the “PRIDERS” come back. This year’s event is set for June 29, 2025, from 10 am til 5 pm in the Event Space at the Nugget.

Pahrump PROUD is a day filled with thirty-plus vendors, local civic and social groups such as the Sin Sity Sisters, The Imperial Royal Sovereign Court, Nevada Gay Rodeo, Henderson Pride Festival, and so many others. The event is set up for a day of fun, family, and community. Vendor shopping and hourly entertainment are just some of the successes of the event.

One of the founding partners, James Davis, speaks on the core root of the event. “The impact Pahrump PROUD has had on this valley is huge. There has always been a queer community here, but as the population nears 50,000, we all wanted to make sure all felt comfortable living out loud. Just 45 minutes from Vegas, the number of programs and support for the LGBTQ+ community drops drastically with every mile traveled. This event began with a peak in teen suicide, and a conversation between friends about how it felt to be different as a young person. No matter what your differentness was, it was hard as a teen to remember that it gets better… and that there’s so much support beyond the faces you can see.

“There is a reason it is a daytime, all-ages event. That reason shows up every year with pride flags draped over their shoulders and classmates in tow. That reason sits in the front row as performers who look like them rock the mic. That reason brings their parents to witness community, so they’re assured that they can grow to still achieve all their dreams… while having permission to live their truth. As we head into our 5th year of Pahrump PROUD, with 4x the participation, we know the impact and hunger for inclusivity here. We are so proud to be able to meet the need.”

Craig Bohannon, long-time Pahrump resident and co-founder, shares, “As a 20-year resident of Pahrump, I cannot express how important Pahrump PROUD is for our small, isolated community. We do not have bars, community centers, or other designated spaces for our community to meet, so this yearly family-friendly gathering is our primary opportunity for entertainment, access to services, inclusive merchants, and other opportunities for community fellowship. The outreach programs with Las Vegas PRIDE, their sponsors, in addition to the participants and volunteers, all make this so valuable to our sprawling rural community.”

“Pahrump is very conservative so people within the queer community are less likely to be out and open. Pahrump PROUD has given us a sense of OUR community within the Valley. Even though the events are not held regularly, many of us meet independently to chat and just hang out! Our Sunday afternoon coffee chill time at the Black Cow Coffee House is becoming more popular. We appreciate the efforts that Las Vegas PRIDE and so many others are making for queer community.” Comments Angela P., a frequent visitor to the coffee house.

As mentioned, joining in on the fun this year is the new favorite coffee house in Pahrump, Black Cow Coffee House, located at 1266 E. Calvada Blvd. They have the best motto: Where coffee meets positivity and good vibes!

Dennis and Q are the owners and are continually updating their menus and the variety of entertainment and activities being held at the coffee shop. Look out for a special soiree after-party at The Cow on June 24! @blackcowcoffeehouse2024

For more information on what is happening in Pahrump, visit LasVegasPRIDE.org, pahrumpproudnv.com, or https://www.facebook.com/pahrumpproud.

This article was originally published in the 2025 Sports & Recreation Issue of Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine, and can be read in its original format here.