Attendees said they were thrilled to see the parade and celebrate a day of pride and community. Watch video
Thousands of people lined the streets of Northampton Saturday afternoon for the 32nd annual Pride Parade sharing a message of hope, support, and unity.
The parade stretched a 1.1 mile route through downtown Northampton, and was part of the annual LGBT Pride and Parade event, sponsored by Northampton nonprofit NoHo Pride. The parade ended at the Three County Fairgrounds, where the celebrations continued with guest speakers, vendors, and music. The theme of this year’s event was "Our Journey is not Complete.”
“I’m bisexual so I wanted to show a day of pride with my friend, my boyfriend and my community. I’ve lived here for seven years, and I’ve come several times,” said Allison Smartt of Northampton.
Smartt also said she’s seen attitudes about gay rights changing in recent years. “I have family members who haven’t come out but have been more comfortable as a result of the changes. I also have family in the armed forces who are straight, so to have ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ repealed makes me proud of my friends and family in the armed forces.”
People of all ages and sexual orientations attended the festivities. Bright smiles and loud cheers were seen and heard for the whole duration of the annual parade. The bright skies and low 70-degree weather added to the overall sunny atmosphere of the parade.
“My straight little brother invited me to pride and it was the best moment; a moment every gay hopes for,” said Samantha Pillion of Cheshire, Conn.
“It was really nice, it’s always fun to go to pride and see the community of it,” said Kara Bularzik of West Hartford, Conn.
One young boy, aged about seven or eight, exclaimed, “If I lived in heaven, every day would be like this!” as he watched the parade go by.
Floats carrying dancing drag queens, radio DJs and candy-throwers were prominent at the parade. Many marchers also carried politically charged signs and statements such as “Let’s get one thing straight, I’m not” and “Homophobia is a ‘learned’ disability.”
Many churches and organizations from western Massachusetts were also marching, showing their support and equality for all.
Northampton mayor David Narkewicz marched at the head of the parade and also spoke at the Fairgrounds following the conclusion of the parade. Narkewicz read a proclamation dedicating the day to gay rights in the city, a tradition at the LGBT Pride and Parade event.
The Pride Parade has evolved past its underground roots in 1982 and has gained national acceptance and recognition. Pride events are now seen in many major U.S. cities.