Fayette County’s first Pride Fest held in Connellsville
Alyssa Choiniere
Pennsylvania Pride Pageantry provided entertainment Saturday at Pride in the Park in Connellsville, Fayette County’s first pride event. Pictured from left are Karry Kurcabe, Kay Shore, Aubreana Skye, Jesse Mitchell and Patrouious Achatz.
Alyssa Choiniere
Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln addresses a crowd at Pride in the Park in Connellsville Saturday at Yough River Park during Fayette County’s first pride event.
Alyssa Choiniere
Paula Johnston, Pride Chair for the Connellsville Diversity and Inclusion Board, thanked the city and sponsors for supporting Pride in the Park Saturday at Yough River Park.
Alyssa Choiniere
Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln thanks the community for its support at Pride in the Park in Connellsville Saturday at Yough River Park during Fayette County’s first pride event.
Alyssa Choiniere
Paula Johnston, Pride Chair for the Connellsville Diversity and Inclusion Board, welcomes at crowd at Pride in the Park Saturday at Yough River Park.
Alyssa Choiniere
Ace Phoenix performs “Damn it Feels Good to Be Me” during Pride in the Park at Yough River Park in Connellsville Saturday.
Paula Johnston said her uncle could not find support in Fayette County as a member of the LGBT community, and moved to New York to feel at home.
Today, she wants local youth to find that same support at home, and hosted Fayette County’s first Pride Fest with the Connellsville Diversity and Inclusion Board.
“To have an event like this, where the LGBT community, with friends and allies, can get together is big for a small community,” she said. “To have Pride south of Pittsburgh in incredibly important in this neck of the woods.”
The Connellsville Diversity and Inclusion Board hosted Pride in the Park Saturday afternoon at Yough River Park with the support of the city of Connellsville, supported by local sponsors.
“This is a very, very big day,” said Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln. “I’m very, very honored. I’m thankful. I’m very, very honored to support Connellsville Pride.”
Lincoln said he was encouraged by the turnout and happy to see young people at the event being supported by the Connellsville community.
Kay Shore of Uniontown said growing up in the ’90s, there was little local support for the LGBT community. She said she was happy to see awareness and support increasing in the county.
“It’s awesome. I wish they would have had this when I was growing up,” Shore said as teens draped in rainbow flags played lawn games nearby.
Shore is the Pennsylvania Pride Princess and a member of Pennsylvania Pride Pageantry, a group of Fayette County residents who attend local Pride and other events to raise awareness and express support for the LGBT community.
Pennsylvania Pride Pageantry, DJ Low Kee, Ace Phoenix, Practice Makes Perfect and Truth n Rites reggae band provided entertainment at the event. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman was initially scheduled as the keynote speaker, but was unable to attend because of recent health problems, Johnston said.
Vendors, local businesses and organizations turned out to express their support, sell goods and raise awareness for their causes.
Brandie VanDusen, President of Fayette County Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), said members of the LGBT community often face discrimination in small towns. Locally, she said many LGBT people are afraid to go out on dates with their significant other for fear they will face harassment or violence.
“They’re picked apart and pulled apart. They should never have to feel that they have to hide,” she said.
The Fayette County GSA is building a “Rainbow Guide” of businesses that support the LGBT community. She said many local businesses were signing up to be on the list and display a rainbow on their door, signifying that the business is a safe place.
VanDusen said Pride in the Park is a step toward showing support for the LGBT community locally.
“We’re here for support, to advocate, to spread awareness, and for people to feel comfortable just with who they are,” she said.