Music, a party and more at the Manchester Pride Parade and Festival
By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com
Manchester True Collaborative, in partnership with fiscal sponsor YWCA New Hampshire and community partner Queerlective, will present the 2024 Manchester Pride Parade and Festival on Saturday, June 15, in Manchester.
James Dzindolet, Director of Development and Co-Chair of the Pride Festival and Parade from Manchester True Collaborative, said, “This year we’re bringing the parade back down Elm Street and we’re very excited. We have 135 artists and vendors participating at the festival [and] a full day’s worth of entertainment, including some exciting drag queens, some musical performers.” This is the second year of the festival for them; last year’s parade was canceled due to inclement weather.
The Pride Parade and Festival falls under the organization’s mission statement: “Manchester True Collaborative strives to maintain a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for the LGBT community in greater Manchester. We accomplish this through collaborative community partnerships, fundraising, and events.” These partnerships help put on the Pride Parade and Festival. “We invited Queerlective in to partner on it,” Dzindolet said.
Many businesses and community members are joining the festivities.
“We have over 20 local area, small and large, business sponsors that will be joining us and currently we have over 1,000 participants that are either driving or walking in the parade,” Dzindolet said.
The parade starts at the parking lot of Brady Sullivan Tower (723 Elm St.) at 11:15 a.m. and journeys along Elm Street to arrive at Veterans Memorial Park at noon for the start of the Manchester Pride Festival. The outdoor party will run until 6 p.m. in Veterans Park, where there will be musicians, drag performers and more.
“We are doing face painting again this year. That’s always in our youth area. So we have a youth tent area for LGBT youth that’s going to have face painting and arts and crafts,” Dzindolet said.
DJ REKLSS is opening the festival, and then, “We have about 10 local queens that are going to be performing,” Dzindolet said. “The drag queen hour is being put on by Big Gay Events, which is another local LGBT-owned promotion company that we’re working with….”
Later in the afternoon, there are more musical acts slated to perform with half-hour sets. A dunk tank will be on site too.
“The Hooksett Area Rotary Club is going to have a drag queen dunk tank, so you get to go donate money toward their great Gear Up for School backpack drive they run annually and you can try to dunk a local drag queen in the dunk tank,” Dzindolet said.
Several other nonprofits, such as 603 Equality and the Human Rights Campaign, will have tables at the festival as well.
Afterward, with a two-hour intermission from the Festival, the Official Pride After Party starts. This year the party is circus-themed and will be held at Jewel Music Venue ( 61 Canal St., Manchester). VIP admission begins at 8 p.m., general admission starts at 9 p.m., and the whole soiree will last until 1 a.m. It is only for those 21 or older. Ticket prices range from $25 to $50 for VIP admission.
“We’re taking the 2024 edition to the next level! Call it queer fusion, we’re weaving some of our favorite elements of Cirque with the beautiful color of the NH Queer community! Join us for NH’s very first, Queer Circus!” said Chloé LaCasse, Director of Community Outreach for Manchester True Collaborative.
Other Pride events will be going on throughout the month; see manchestertrue.org for details.
As for Saturday’s big event, “Last year we had a couple thousand people in the pouring rain; this year we are hoping the weather is going to be on our side,” Dzindolet said, with hopes to double last year’s numbers. “It’s going to be a huge event.”
“For me personally,” Dzindolet said, “I get involved because I really enjoy connecting with people in the community and utilizing my professional skills to further the community and make sure that everyone gets equal representation.”
2024 Manchester Pride Parade and Festival
Saturday, June 15, from 11:15 to 6 p.m.
Parade starts at 11:15 a.m. at Brady Sullivan Tower (732 Elm St.) and ends at noon at Veterans Memorial Park. Festival begins at noon and ends at 6 p.m.
Official Pride After Party, 21+, admission $25, at Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St.) 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. (VIP admission at 8 p.m., $50)
Visit manchestertrue.org.
Nashua Pride Parade and Festival
Saturday, June 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. in downtown Nashua
Visit nashuanh.gov/1217/Nashua-Pride-Festival.
The Capital City Pride Festival
The Capital City Pride in Concord has events including (according to its Facebook page):
– Art in the Park Celebrating Pride on Saturday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Concord Arts Market, Queerlective, and Capital City Pride in Rollins Park in —Concord featuring more than 60 artists, food, music and more.
– Pride After Party on Friday, July 19, from 6 to 11 p.m. at BNH Stage featuring drag performances, a vogue ball, local vendors, refreshments and more.
– A Pride Picnic at Eagle Square on Saturday, July 27, from noon to 5 p.m. featuring live music, performance art, food, vendors and more.
Featured Photo: Previous Manchester Pride Festival. Courtesy of Manchester True Collaborative.
