Pride events scheduled around the state in June; See photos of parade and festival
WV Press News Report in partnership with “When All Are Counted”
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in West Virginia kicked off June 1 and the City of Charleston hosted a parade and street festival on Saturday with hundreds visiting downtown for activities and exhibits around Summers Street and City Center at Slack Plaza and a parade from Kanawha Boulevard to Summers Street.
There were also events in Parkersburg, Morgantown and other locations in West Virginia during the weekend.
Among the many exhibitors on Saturday were representatives from Rainbow Pride of West Virginia, Fairness West Virginia, Women’s Health Center of WV, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Crisis Line, Mountain Care Network, West Virginia Coalition Again Domestic Violence and National Domestic Violence and the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program, who were sharing information about their services.
Additionally, ThinkKidsWV was there gathering contact information for its “When All Are Counted” project that is studying how “majority rule” type of health data collection affects three specific populations: the Black, LGBTQ+, and disability populations, in West Virginia. The goal is to create a more inclusive health surveillance system where everyone counts, and everyone is counted. Learn more about the program here. To share information or discuss issues, contact Autumn Shelton at [email protected]
The project is funded under Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Community Research for Health Equity program, managed by AcademyHealth, and directed by Think Kids WV. The West Virginia Prevention Research Center (WVPRC) oversees the qualitative research component of the project.
Some of the entries in the parade:
Some of the displays on Summer Street:
Fairness West Virginia has put together the following list of events for Pride Month and is still gathering information:
| June 6 | Kanawha County Public Library — Main Library Room 311C Movie Night at the Library 4:00pm – 6:00pm Join KCPL for a movie night at the library! June is Pride Month and we will be viewing a film featuring LGBTQ+ characters. The movie rating will be PG-13. Feel free to bring a snack! Water and soda will be provided. This event will go along with KCPL’s summer reading program theme “All Together Now,” which focuses on kindness, friendship, and unity. RSVP on Facebook! |
| June 8 | Rainbow Pride hosts Pride Night at the ball park GoMart Ballpark, First pitch at 6:35 p.m. The first 500 fans to through the gates will receive a limited edition Dirty Birds Pride baseball cap. Enjoy the night at Pride Central and stick around after the game for a Drag show at the Ballpark. Tickets available here or at the gate on game day! |
| June 10 | Parkersburg Pride PrideFest Parkersburg City Park, Noon – 4 p.m. The celebration will feature local entertainment including Drag queens, musicians, vendors and food trucks. This year, Parkersburg Pride is looking to highlight local individuals and organizations working to make the Mid-Ohio Valley a more inclusive place for LGBTQ people through the Excellence in Pride awards. Check out this post to nominate learn more or nominate someone you know! VENDORS — Is your business or organization interested in being a vendor? Sign up here. SPONSORS — Interested in financially supporting Parkersburg Pride? Fill out this form. Click here to follow Parkersburg Pride on Facebook for more updates |
| June 10 | PFLAG Fairmont Pride Fairmont Greenspace, Adams Street and Monroe Street, Noon – 5 p.m. The Pride celebration is one of several events hosted this week as part of PFLAG Fairmont’s diversity week. Visit here for information on other programming. VENDORS — Is your business or organization interested in being a vendor? Sign up here. SPONSORS — Interested in financially supporting this year’s Fairmont Pride? Give to PFLAG through the PayPal link here. Connect with PFLAG Fairmont on Facebook for more details! |
| June 11 | Inaugural West Virginia Black Pride Festival Magic Island in Charleston, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Come and celebrate the very first Black Pride Festival, hosted by the WV Black Pride Foundation. The festival will celebrate Juneteenth along with West Virginia’s LGBTQ community. There will be activities for all ages, including local food vendors and retailers, a hair show, a fashion show, an open mic, a step show and a DJ and special guest star. Click here to RSVP on Facebook! |
| June 17 | The Rainbow Run 5k sponsored by Covenant House and Rainbow Pride of WV Capitol Market in Charleston, race starts 9 a.m. Come run, skip, walk or sashay to raise funds for Rainbow Pride of WV’s Educational Scholarship and raise awareness to Kick Smoking’s Butt in WV’s LGBTQ Community. Click here to register for the run before June 13, 2023. |
| June 17 | Beckley Pride Beckley Intermodal Gateway, starting at Noon Sign up to be a vendor here: https://forms.gle/SArZPm2FR2Mzihzz5 RSVP on Facebook! |
| June 17 | Eastern Panhandle Pride Downtown Martinsburg, Noon – 5 p.m. Follow Eastern Panhandle Pride for more details! |
| June 17 | Lost River Pride Located at the Lost Rivers Farmers Market, Noon – 5 p.m. For more information, visit this website! |
| June 23-24 | Morgantown Pride Parade & Block Party The parade will be held on the 23rd with a block party featuring local vendors and more on the 24th at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park. More information will be added as it is made available. Click here for more information, as well as to sign up to sponsor the event or be a vendor |
| June 24 | Berkeley Springs Pride Berkeley Springs State Park, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Follow Berkeley Springs Pride on Facebook for more updates! |
| June 24 | Putnam Pride Valley Park, Hurricane More details will be added as they are announced. Follow Putnam Pride on Facebook for more updates! |
| June 24 | Greenbrier Valley Pride Located in Ronceverte More details will be added as they are announced Follow GVP on Facebook for more updates! |
| June 24 | Elkins Pride The Elkins City Park, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. |
| June 27 | Kanawha County Pubic Library — St. Albans Branch Library Celebrate Pride: Movie Night and Discussion 5:30pm – 7:30pmIt has been over 50 years since the events of the Stonewall riot. Come to the library to watch a movie called State of Pride. This movie examines the current state of the LGBTQIA+ community and showcases how far we have come and things that are still left to be done. This event will go along with our summer reading program theme “All Together Now” which focuses on diversity, inclusion, community, and kindness. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP on Facebook! |
| July 8-9 | Ohio Valley Pride More details will be added as they are announced Apply here to be a vendor: https://form.jotform.com/230368811900149 Follow Ohio Valley Pride on Facebook for more updates! |