Jamestown Pride’s mission is to create events for the LGBTQ+ community to help them feel good about themselves and safe. Their annual Pride events began in 2019 with a picnic, and the original plan for the festival that the community sees these days was for it to start in 2020, which was then pushed to 2021.

“Jamestown Pride works to create this vision with celebration and awareness,” Jessica Frederick with Jamestown Pride said. “We hear every year that people feel good at the festival whether they are members of the LGBTQ+ community or not. It’s a friendly event of celebration and courage that is good for the whole community.”

Jamestown Pride tries to expand their events every year so it is not just the Saturday festival. They also hold events throughout the year, such as a prom event held in March.

On Thursday, June 11, Jamestown Pride will participate in Give Big CHQ, a 24-hour online fundraising event supporting local nonprofits. Community members can support Jamestown Pride’s mission and year-round programming at www.givegab.com/nonprofits/jamestown-pride.

Festival entertainment at the Winter Garden Plaza features local performers and the joy, celebration, and electric energy associated with Jamestown Pride. Photo credit Lisa Schmidtfrerick. Submitted photo

Friday, June 12, brings the Jamestown Pride Comedy and Drag Dance Party to Wicked Warren’s. Featuring comedians from Karate Sleepover — including Katrina Valentine, Karma, Mark Hitchcock, and Paul Clemente –, drag performances by Lips Poppin’ Productions — featuring Katrina Twerk Island and Exxxotica Splash –, and dancing with Diamond Run Radio, the event begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17.85 online at https://tinyurl.com/ComedyDragDance or $15 at the door. This event is for those 18 and over.

The celebration continues Saturday, June 13, with the Jamestown Pride Festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Jamestown. Expanded to include 82 vendors across three city blocks along Third and Main Streets, the festival activities also includes yoga, live entertainment, a Rainbow Walk and Costume Contest which is a Pride Parade on foot, youth activities, and performances by Lennox WT, Lips Poppin’ Productions, Sukanya Burman Dance Company, Knights of Enchanted Dreams, and ShowTyme Productions. Registration for the Rainbow Walk begins at 10 a.m., with people gathering at 11:30 a.m. and the parade beginning at noon at the Winter Garden. There will also be street marshals to ensure safety.

Additional Saturday events include the Third Annual Jamestown Pride Variety Show at 4 p.m. at Wicked Warren’s and Pride After Dark: Burlesque & Drag Revue at 8:30 p.m. at Sneakers, for those 21 and over.

Pride Week concludes Sunday, June 14, with a Pride Sunday Service at 10 a.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, featuring guest preacher and celebrant Bishop Eugene Sutton, Senior Pastor at Chautauqua Institution and Assisting Bishop in the Diocese of Washington. The worship for the day will focus on God’s liberating love for all, with a dual recognition of Pride Sunday and Juneteenth.

Karen Hewes Suber with Jamestown Pride emphasized that Jamestown Pride is volunteer run, adding that these events demonstrate the organization’s commitment to making the LGBTQ+ community feel safe in the city of Jamestown. She also noted that of the 82 vendors, not all are members of the LGBTQ+ community, and some are Allies, but all love coming out and supporting the local community.

Frederick added that the impact of Jamestown Pride’s events is felt beyond the weekend, giving an example of a medical group that was looking to recruit a doctor for the area, who then came because they did their research into Jamestown and discovered the Pride Parade and events.

“We are creating a community that we want to live in,” Frederick said. “These events have an impact that we can never see or know.”

Sponsors for Pride Week include but are not limited to St Luke’s Church, Wicked Warren’s, Evergreen, the Mental Health Association, Lifted, and the Reg Lenna Center. Saturday’s event also includes a collaboration with Sukanya Burman Dance Company, and speakers such as the “Plus Sized Pop Star” Juliet Stark, and Gail Petry.

“Every year people want a parade, which is a wonderful idea,” Suber said. “With Jamestown Pride’s volunteer base a parade with vehicles is not something we have the ability to do. So, this is the third year we are doing a parade on foot. We invite everyone to participate, dress in your rainbow finery, dress up your pets. Help reflect the spirit of Jamestown Pride.”