HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHP) — The 34th annual Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania was held Saturday.
This year’s theme was “still here, still proud” — a message that attendees said had quite an impact.
“I was on the parade route with my good friend, Amethys Diamond, and we were just blown away by so many smiling faces at 10 in the morning,” Jade Devere said.
Devere was named Miss Central PA Pride in 2012, back when the event was held in Riverfront Park. After that year, though, the festival took a 12-year hiatus until 2024.
“People nowadays, we’ve got to stand up,” Stephanie Fritsch said. “We’ve got to be public, and I’m not afraid to be known.”
LGBTQ members and allies marched around the Capitol and celebrated at Soldier’s Grove with plenty of music, color and community organizations filling the space.