WORCESTER – Thousands were in attendance as downtown Worcester erupted in celebration of Pride on Saturday as part of the annual Worcester Pride Festival. The event was a welcome return for many in the LGBTQ+ community after reduced celebrations due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have over 60 nonprofits and craft vendors here today, musicians dancers here to celebrate queer joy we have amazing sponsors here to celebrate diversity and pride in Worcester,” event organizer Katherine Aguilar of the Worcester Queer Coalition told ThisWeekinWorcester.com.
The event brought with it to the closure of parts of Franklin Street and Portland Street to accommodate vendor booths and crowds.
While most cities celebrate their Pride in June, Worcester has its celebrations in September as not to overshadow nearby cities like Boston or Providence.
A number of performers and musical acts performed on stage for the festival such as Savage Sisters, Dance on Dance Center, DJ Tempo, Tanya Roman, Serenity Jackson, Lady Sabrina, Victoria Obvious Queen, DaishaDore Famouz, Bootz, Deja Vu, Haus of Snap, Robyn Millyonz, Mal E. Fishn’t, Harley Queen, Worcester Royal Court and DJ Live.
Sponsors for the event included AbbVie, Altea’s Eatery, Avidia Bank, Bancroft School, Bay State Savings Bank, College of the Holy Cross, DCU Credit Union, Electric Haze, First Baptist Church of Worcester, The Hanover Insurance Group, llah Cibis Jewelry, Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, Steel and Wire Bar, Trinity Lutheran Church, Wings Over Worcester, Worcester Beer Garden and the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce among others.
Over 30 other Pride events had been held in Worcester this month in conjunction with the festival as a celebration of the queer community.
See video and images from the event, below:
