The Rainbow Alliance is celebrating its 17th Annual Pridefest on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at noon on Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square. The event’s presenting sponsor is The Wright Center for Community Health.

The event will kick off with our PrideFest Parade starting at South and South Main Street leading to the heart of Downtown Wilkes-Barre. Following the parade, there will be a celebration on Public Square until 4:00 PM. There will be over 70 vendors and food trucks as well as drag and community performances all throughout the afternoon.

For over 17 years, the Rainbow Alliance has proudly hosted and celebrated the annual PrideFest in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This local celebration is part of a long history of nationwide Pride festivals and marches honoring the Stonewall riots of 1969, recognizing the progress achieved by LGBTQ+ pioneers who bravely spoke out against injustice and the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ equality under the law. PrideFest is both a celebration and a call for action.

Our mission for Pridefest is to provide a safe space and empower the community by connecting them to essential resources. Pridefest will deepen the involvement by a variety of local and statewide agencies and individual supporters. Our main objective for celebrating Pride locally also includes bringing the community together and increasing awareness of our diverse community. We expect over 1,000+ people to come out and enjoy the entertainment, local vendors and most importantly engage in dialogue focused on the LGBTQ+ community.

The Rainbow Alliance was established in 2004 with the mission to provide education, support, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals and families while working to advance fairness and equality throughout the region. In the spirit of our mission, we’re proud to host the annual NEPA PrideFest and Pageant for our local LGBTQ+ community.

To learn more about this exciting event, head on over to the Rainbow Alliance website.

Article Updated from its Original Version Published on 6/21/2022.