Pittsfield — Thousands of people attended the ninth annual Berkshire Pride Festival on Saturday, June 7, at the city’s Common Park.
According to its website, the mission of Berkshire Pride, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2017, is to “provide safe spaces and events where LGBTQIA+ community members can live and thrive as their authentic selves, not only during Pride Month, but also throughout the year.” The organization holds multiple events throughout the year and also has programs and classes including its Certified Safe-Space Project, which features classes on “Intro to LGBTQIA+ Terminology” and “What are Pronouns & Why Do They Matter.”
The festival included a vendor fair at the park, along with booths featuring LGBTQIA+-friendly organizations and companies. The festival also included a parade that went down North Street and back to Common Park.
“Pride is important because it’s about community and visibility for the LGBTQIA+ community,” Berkshire Pride board member Jeff Lowenstein told The Berkshire Edge. “We’ve gone from hundreds of people at the festival and, in a couple of years, we have had thousands come out to celebrate Pride. I think that, especially in a moment where there are so many people who have arrayed against the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s super important to come out and celebrate solidarity with joy.”
“I think that because the queer community, and especially the trans and nonbinary community, is very small and doesn’t have a lot of political power, it’s easy to put a target on our backs,” said Lowenstein. “I think that Pride is important because Pride incorporates both a celebration and a riot. This all started after the Stonewall Riots. We have always been fighting for our rights, our rights to be ourselves in public, and to be loud, proud, and joyful. Beyond the fight for our rights and the need to celebrate, being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, sometimes it can feel pretty isolating. It can feel like you’re all alone. I think that having a place and a movement where people can come out and see that there are thousands, millions of other people just like you, and that everyone coming out to these events is beautiful in their own unique way—I think that’s incredibly important.”
Several local businesses took part in the event, including Pittsfield’s Witch Slapped, owned by Danielle Munn. “We have found that, in order to celebrate all people, we have to come out together and celebrate together, allowing folks to be who they are without fear and without issue, just like any other group of humans on the planet,” Munn said. “It’s especially important in the Berkshires, which to me is one of the most beautiful areas that I’ve ever seen. Berkshire County is a melting pot of such a mixed amount of diverse individuals. The amount of artistry and collaborations that happen here are phenomenal. If there is anywhere that will shine with pride, it’s going to be Berkshire County.”
“In today’s day and age, Pride is important because our rights are currently being infringed upon by the current government, and we need to make sure that we are seen,” said photographer and vendor Autumn Phoenix. “We need to bring the word ‘human’ back into humanity, and our humanity back into the word ‘human.’ We need to be ourselves, and we need to have the same rights that everybody else does.”
Queer Men of the Berkshires (Q-MoB) member Bart Church echoed Phoenix’s concerns. “We’re in a time where the federal government is eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs,” Church said. “Even in Pittsfield they’re trying to eliminate diversity programs. LGBTQIA+ groups are being defunded and attacked all over the country, even in places as liberal as Berkshire County. What does Pride do? It reminds our community that we’ve always been here and we are your neighbors, your friends, and your business owners. It reminds people that we are integral to the success of the whole Berkshire community. This is why visibility ends up being one of the key things that protects us and connects us with our neighbors and allies.”
“We need to make sure that people feel safe, welcome, and included,” said Drag Story Hour founder Casi Kristant (AKA Poppy DaBubbly). “People are going to hate, and I think that some people that do have hate feel more empowered. But we have to keep doing our job to make sure that our community and the whole world feels safe and empowered to spread love.”
For more information about Berkshire Pride, visit its website.
