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Date: 6/7/2022
CHICOPEE – After hosting their inaugural pride celebration last year, the Chicopee Cultural Council returns with Pride Fest on June 11. The event takes place at Geraldine’s Live Music Bar and Grill on 116 School St.
Pride Fest runs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. and is preceded by a short parade through Chicopee Center. The parade begins at 1:30 p.m. at the City Hall parking lot. Readers interested in viewing the parade are recommended to secure a spot somewhere along Cabot Street.
Chicopee Cultural Council member Johnny Miranda aspires for the event to become an annual tradition in Chicopee. “We thought it would be a good idea [for Pride Fest] be a staple event because of the importance of celebrating diversity and love,” said Miranda in an interview with Reminder Publishing.
Reflecting on last year’s celebration, Miranda said the event represented a “great success” for the council and the community.
“It was a great success...the first event was a good test to see what we could do. We had so many people in attendance,” said Miranda. The Chicopee Cultural Council member shared that the celebration included people supporting the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community from every generation.
The inclusion of a parade marks a new feature of this year’s Pride Fest. Miranda expressed that the council sought new ways to make the celebration more exciting for attendees. He shared that the parade will be a “small parade,” but the Cultural Council will incorporate participant feedback to continue expanding the event.
“We want [Pride Fest] to get better and better with every year,” said Miranda.
The parade includes representatives from local LGBTQ+ businesses, the Chicopee Public Library mobile library, the Mental Health Association, Girls Inc. of the Valley and the Chicopee Mayor’s Office.
For the Cultural Council, Pride Fest intends to celebrate and promote acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We want people in the city to feel visible; it is our duty to make visibility happen...We want everyone in the LGBTQ+ community to feel accepted,” said Miranda.
Readers interested in learning more about Chicopee Pride Fest can go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1414678602299974 .