A previous Pride Festival photo provided by Trexx Media/Megan Zimmerman
Community members are invited to celebrate identity and inclusion at this year’s Pride events.
The annual Pride Festival of Central PA and Pride Parade will take place on July 25, bringing entertainment, vendors and community connection to Harrisburg.
The day will kick off with the parade at 10 a.m., where a plethora of colorful floats and performances will fill the streets in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. The parade will begin and end at City Island, following the typical city parade route, along the Market Street Bridge, N. 2nd Street, North Street and Front Street.
After the parade, the pride-themed festival will take place at Soldier’s Grove park at the state capitol, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free to attend and will provide live entertainment such as the Keystone State Gay Rodeo, local vendors, food trucks, community organizations, free mom hugs and more.
Dr. Eric Selvey, president of Pride Festival of Central PA, emphasized the festival’s mission of celebrating the LGBTQ+ community while continuing to advocate for equality.
“We hope to inspire people to have a good sense of themselves and know that they are worthy of a place here on this earth and in this city,” Selvey said.
The parade float that best symbolizes “pride” will receive a $300 cash reward, while the parade unit that best embodies this year’s theme, “Still Here, Still Proud”, will also be awarded $300.
The parade float deadline is July 15 and organizations interested in participating, as well as those wishing to volunteer, should register on the official website.
“We preach love and we celebrate pride because we want to show people that we are proud of who we are and the accomplishments we’ve made,” Selvey said.
To learn more about upcoming events, follow Pride Festival of Central PA on Instagram and Facebook.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
