GETTYSBURG, PA — The 7th Annual Gettysburg Pride Fest will be held June 2-4, 2023, with over 50 different local small businesses, four all-loving/affirming inclusive local churches, and ten other nonprofit organizations sponsoring the weekend’s fest with various events for all ages. Premiere-level sponsors are WellSpan Health, Field & Floor FX, and Graphcom, as well as UPMC and Phoenix Counseling. Most activities are free admission, and the full detailed schedule is at www.GettysburgPride.org . Gettysburg Pride Inc. is an official non-profit 501c3 organization registered with the IRS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and their Bureau of Charitable Organizations, as well as Guide Star. Health, happiness, and all things of love, inclusion, diversity, and peace are our cause.
“We achieve our goals through organizing community events which include education, advocacy, awareness, and community fest events”, says Chad-Alan Carr, Gettysburg Pride Inc Co-Founder/President. “We were also very happy to be asked to take on being the producer of Gettysburg’s New Year’s Eve Celebration last year when no one else wanted to do it since 2019. It is an expensive event to produce, but it brings so much joy to residents and tourists alike. Thankfully the Gettysburg Pride Inc volunteers and the many businesses that donate to us make these two free admission community events happen. We are blessed to live in such a loving community that understands the importance of events such as these that have a common goal of bringing people together.”
In the summer of 2017, a few friends were sitting around wondering why Gettysburg didn’t have a Gay Pride event yet like much of the country has had since Gay Pride began in 1970 after the NYC Stonewall Riot of 1969. The small group of gay residents of Gettysburg decided to organize a bar crawl even though they only had two weeks to plan. They thought maybe a dozen people would show up and it would be a fun night. Over 80 people filled the bar at Gettysburg Hotel’s One Lincoln, where the event began in June 2017. Pride flags, glow-in-the-dark necklaces, and LOTS of smiles with friends old and new filled many local bars as the crowd walked around historic Lincoln Square with PRIDE. Each year since, Gettysburg Pride Fest grows larger with a full weekend of events of all kinds, including education/outreach programs, free rapid HIV testing, and counseling, shopping discounts, NYC-style piano bar cabaret, a pride march on Lincoln Square, vendors, brunch, dance parties, and more. Many businesses in town sponsor Gettysburg Pride Fest each year and cover downtown in pride rainbow flags that show attendees that they are loving and that they are a safe place where ALL are welcome.
Gettysburg Pride Fest 2023 will be held June 2-4, and will feature unique specials at many downtown businesses with a social media contest to win prizes all weekend. Gettysburg Mayor Rita Frealing has once again made a Proclamation that June is Gettysburg Pride Month.
On Friday, 4-6pm, there will be a Pride Mixer Shop & Sip at A&A Village Treasures, where they will donate 15% of all purchases to Gettysburg Pride Inc to help continue to raise funds for Pride Fest and for Gettysburg’s New Year’s Eve Celebration. Friday 6-9 pm, there will be a Pride Piano Bar event at The One Lincoln at Gettysburg Hotel, and from 8:30-10 pm, there will be an alcohol-free all-ages dance party at Waldo’s & Co.
Saturday, June 3rd, there will be live entertainment and 50 different vendors around Lincoln Square and within the first block of Carlisle Street. The first block of Carlisle Street will be blocked off for the day, and attendees are encouraged to use the traffic lights at the end of the first block of York, Stratton, and Baltimore streets in order to safely navigate the Lincoln Square traffic and visit the 50 different local business pride sponsors that can be found on the 2023 Pride Fest Map.
Thanks to Borough of Gettysburg Manager Gable, the Public Works Department, Mayor Frealing, Chief Glenny, and Gettysburg Borough Police Department for their planning, there will be a fun and safe Pride March on Lincoln Square on Saturday afternoon with a popsicle social and Glitter Blessing at the end of the march at the Unitarian Universalist Gettysburg on Stratton Street.
“I support our Gettysburg Police Department”, said Carr, “and have all my trust in them that they will keep everyone safe. I am happy to have them even more involved this year with Gettysburg Pride Fest planning, and I am confident in the security measures that they have made for a successful and safe community event. As always, though, I encourage everyone to be smart, look both ways before crossing at crosswalks, and do not just step into the street into traffic. It is going to be a busy town, just as it is every summer in Gettysburg.”
Saturday will also include educational presentations on various topics such as health and counseling resources, pride history, what it means to be an ally and even two presentations from the National Park Service and The Gettysburg Foundation, such as The Lavender Scare and LGBTQ+ during The Civil War. Saturday night will end with an 8 pm musical comedy drag show (ticketed event) at Gettysburg Community Theatre, where NYC actor Gerry Mastrolia sings live and impersonates Hollywood icons such as Liza, Judy, Bette, and many more, while DJ Eric hosts a Glow In The Dark dance party on the first block of Carlisle Street for all ages.
Sunday’s activities include all loving and inclusive church services at Gettysburg Pride sponsors St. James, Lutheran, Prince Of Peace Episcopal, and Unitarian Universalist Gettysburg in the morning, and then at 11 am at The Gettysburg Hotel Ballroom, a Drag Brunch (ticketed event) will be held. A full detailed schedule and vendor list are available at www.GettysburgPride.org
Gettysburg Pride Inc encourages all local businesses and residents to get involved and show everyone where they can go to be loved and accepted for who they are. While Gettysburg Pride is ALWAYS the weekend after Memorial Day Monday, June is also National Pride Month every year, so feel free to fly those rainbows any time. Gettysburg Pride hopes to see everyone smiling this weekend in the grandest small town in America with the biggest heart, where ALL are welcome and ALL are created equal!
Mission Statement: To inspire diversity, equality, and acceptance in our community by providing opportunities for education and awareness of LGBTQ+ and Allies.