State College will have its first Pride parade this summer. The Centre LGBTQA Support Network is hosting the upcoming parade and festival from June 12-14. While the festivities will run all weekend, the parade itself is set to start on Saturday, June 13 at 11 or 11:30 a.m.
The Network’s co-chair, Susan Marshall, says the festival should be an opportunity for the whole community to learn something new.
“We want this to be an educational event for people inside and outside the queer community but also a supportive environment for those people in the queer community throughout Centre County,” said Marshall.
The parade will start in Sidney Friedman Park and then loop through downtown State College before ending up back in the park.
Parade organizers are also hoping to have events ranging from Drag Bingo to a free gender-neutral clothing closet at Webster’s Bookstore.
Marshall hopes this event might inspire others, as well.
“We want to kind of put it out there and hope people jump on and maybe are inspired to do their own Pride events in their own communities,” she said.
Altoona had its first Pride parade in September.
