LONGMEADOW — For the fourth year in a row, the Longmeadow Green will be filled with people, music and a welcoming atmosphere, as the Longmeadow Pride Alliance hosts Longmeadow Pride on Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Elizabeth Morgan, vice president of the Longmeadow Pride Alliance, said that over the past few years, more people have become “aware of Pride and thinking of it as a stable event that they can count on.” While she said she is happy about that, she added that there is a downside to people seeing Pride as established.
“One of the things we were confronted with this year is not quite as many volunteers, not quite as many sponsorships,” she said. “We still need people to come out and participate and be involved, financially but also with their energy. We grow a bit every year. We have more booths every year.” This year there are more than 80 booths.
The entertainment is also growing. Performers, such as Lady Niki, are returning, but there are also entertainers who will take the Pride stage for the first time. Similarly, the options for food Combine familiar businesses — Pour Things Coffee, Batch, Crazy Arepas, Fletcher’s and One Way Brewing — with fresh faces, including The Latest Kraze and Jersey Mike’s.
“There’s some new things to explore in terms of vendors and food and entertainment,” Morgan said.
Despite the growth, Morgan said she never foresees a time when pride will outgrow the Green.
Instead, she said she wants to see the organization grow and allow them to contribute to the town and surrounding community.
“There are so many opportunities,” Morgan said, from sponsoring support and advocacy groups, such as PFLAG, helping gay-straight alliances in high schools, helping with diversity, equity and inclusion training and sponsoring safe spaces, like the Pride Prom that happened earlier this year.
Morgan explained, “To get there, we would need funding or partnerships with the town or schools. We would need people to volunteer,” and “we would need to see what There is for buy-in from the community through these programs. We’d need all three prongs.”
The one thing Pride has never had, Morgan said, is protesters or disruptors. “I always want to thank the community for coming out and making it a really positive, welcoming space for people,” she said.
To volunteer for Pride, visit tinyurl.com/e6v7ca92.
