A Vibrant Weekend– Pittsburgh Pride Recap
Written by Elisabeth Kay
Pride month is not looked over in downtown Pittsburgh, and it started off with one huge party. On Saturday and Sunday, downtown Pittsburgh and its North Shore welcomed hundreds of vendors to make this an unforgettable weekend to start off a month full of love.
Saturday’s cloudiness didn’t get in the way of any rainbows at Allegheny Commons Park, where hundreds of vendors from all around the states set up their tents to sell homemade arts and crafts, promote their businesses, and engage in the welcoming community Pittsburgh has to offer them. There were also multiple stages, welcoming drag artists to performers like David Archuleta, who closed out Saturday night in preparation for the parade Sunday afternoon.
-Image courtesy of Elisabeth Kay-
Sunday morning, the crowd started pouring in on the streets of the Golden Triangle. The Andy Warhol Bridge, where I was sat, was filled with different pride flags as people sat on each side of the street anxiously waiting for the parade to begin. With the sounds of motorcycles rumbling, the parade started, and cheers from watchers erupted.
Hundreds of local and national organizations showed their pride in this parade, featuring a “GLAMazon” truck, a Sheetz Jeep, and much, much more. Churches handed out free rainbow stickers and pins, assuring the crowd that they were eternally loved, and local businesses threw out different types of candy or pride month merchandise. Local and national LGBTQIA+ organizations showed their support to local residents with waves and free merchandise. There were even quite a few dogs that showed their support, some sporting rainbow tutus or bandanas and searching for scratches and pets along their walk.
-Image courtesy of Elisabeth Kay-
After the last organization had passed, it was time to join in– all the watchers flooded the streets of the North Shore as they processed back to Allegheny Commons, familiar vendors and some new welcoming them. A group began line dancing by the lake, which attracted more and more people, while others found themselves enthralled by the performances on the main stage, opened by Willam, an adored American Drag Queen.
But this is only the beginning of Pride month in downtown Pittsburgh– on Friday, June 6th, PNC Park will light up with fireworks following the Pirate’s game for their annual Pride Night! Show your love for baseball and the LGBTQ+ community at PNC Park at 6:40 PM. Other pride events all around the Burgh’s neighborhoods can be found through Visit Pittsburgh, making this month extra special.
Pride month is one that makes people feel accepted, included, and most importantly, loved. This was not overshadowed in Pittsburgh this weekend, as people shouted compliments from all around, took pictures with people they’d never met, and accepted “free mom hugs” or “free dad hugs” from those offering. There was only positivity in Downtown this weekend, and a wonderful start to Pride month in downtown Pittsburgh.
