The fifth annual Pride Month in West Hartford will be ‘More Than a Party’ and will officially begin with a flag raising on Unity Green on June 3 and conclude with a rally and festival.

Submitted

The West Hartford Pride Planning Committee is excited to announce the fifth annual West Hartford Pride celebration taking place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.  This event is free and open to the public.

Last year’s festival day was an incredible afternoon of joy and community and we are pleased to announce that the festival will once again take place in the parking lot of West Hartford Town Hall. This year, among other incredible talent we will be welcoming host, Ms. Bonnie Petít as well as welcoming back crowd favorite Sister Funk and newcomers to West Hartford Pride, the Kentucky Gentleman.

West Hartford Pride Co-Chairs Barry Walters (left) and Johanna Schubert at the 2023 Pride flag raising. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)

The West Hartford Pride festival will close out a month of celebration and activities and is the main event. The month-long series of events begins June 2 with a “Ride for Pride” bike event, and June 3 at 6:30 p.m. is a flag raising at Unity Green. A full event list is below and an up-to-date calendar can be found at the West Hartford Pride website.

On Festival day, a rally is planned for 10:30 a.m.. on the front steps of Town Hall, featuring the voices of our youth, our town delegation, and special guest Ms. Connecticut Shavana Clarke, the first openly LGBTQ Ms. USA State titleholder. This rally is meant to spotlight what we are doing here in West Hartford and in the state of Connecticut to protect and embrace our community in the face of ever restrictive legislation being passed across the country.

West Hartford Pride Rally. June 24, 2023. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)

West Hartford Pride events highlight the multifaceted contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community, along with the diverse businesses and cultural venues the town has to offer. More than a party, WeHa Pride celebrates talent across the spectrum of arts, culture, music, and performance.

The whole family is welcome to take part in events throughout the day. Inclusivity is a priority for the West Hartford Pride Planning Committee and its sponsors. We welcome people from across the spectrum of age, gender identity, race, sexuality, ability, and class. This promises to be an event where everyone can see a piece of themselves celebrated and reflected back at them.

West Hartford Pride would like to thank the sponsors for this event: The Town of West Hartford, BeMindfulWeb, media sponsor Fox 61, and Presenting Sponsor, Circle Care. West Hartford Pride is proud to be partnering with Circle Care, a nonprofit medical center dedicated to providing the highest quality medical care to all, offering comprehensive primary care, specializing in the needs of the LGBTQI+ community and people living with HIV. We are also excited to share that the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce has named West Hartford Pride Nonprofit of the Year for 2024.

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