CUMBERLAND — The annual Cumberland Pride Festival showcases many of the city’s assets, said Robert “Iva Phetish” Zouche.
The Cumberland native and Frostburg resident was at Canal Place on Sunday for the city’s 7th Pride festival.
“There’s so much love (and) talent here,” Zouche said.
The festival, which featured roughly 70 vendors, including nonprofits, crafts, support services and businesses, was “bigger than ever,” said event organizer Jacqie McKenzie.
“Everything has been very smooth,” she said. “We had more people here at the start than average.”
More volunteers helped at the event this year, too, Mc- Kenzie said.
“Everyone is welcome here and this is a place for building community,” she said.
Cumberland residents Kodee McKenzie and Jamie Schumacher — the couple are getting married in November — said folks at the festival were happy and welcoming.
Kodee McKenzie donned a new hairstyle for the event, as well as the hot, humid weather.
“I just call it ‘bubble braids,’” she said. “I have long and thick hair and needed to get it out of the way.”
Olivia DiBella of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was at the event with the Sherwin-Williams employee resource group PrideWorks.
“People are their most authentic selves today,” she said of folks at the festival as she posed for a sketch by Cumberland artist Paul Tepper of Silly Goose Caricatures.
Courtney Love is an apprentice coordinator at Allegany College of Maryland.
The festival included “such positive, beautiful energy,” she said. “This feels like home.”
The festival was “wonderful,” said Scott Rieker, priest associate and music director at Emmanuel Parish of the Episcopal Church in the city.
“It’s moving to see that so many people in Cumberland believe in respecting the dignity of everybody,” he said. “This is essential to Christianity … every church should be here.”
Jaimie Bell, president of Reflection House, a Garrett County non-profit that offers recovery support for women, was at the festival for the third time.
“These are my favorite events to go to,” she said. “Everyone is so engaging, so happy.”
Thomas Aloisi, outreach staffer for the Consumer Education & Advocacy Unit of the Maryland Insurance Administration, was at the Pride festival for the first time.
“I’m pretty impressed,” he said of the crowd, speakers and entertainment.
Aloisi said he came to the event to provide insurance information and resources for the LGBTQ+ community, who “have as many rights as anybody else.”
Lonaconing resident Salem said the festival unites people of similar minds.
“I love it,” they said. “There’s a lot of caring people here and it makes me happy.”
Bedford, Pennsylvania, resident Christina Weatherbie of Christina’s Yarn Shop attended the festival for the second consecutive year.
“It’s unity for the community,” she said of the event. “Everybody feels like they can be (themselves with) no judgment.”
Cumberland Pride’s reigning queen Envy Divine of Frostburg was at the festival to perform and crown this year’s monarch.
“Drag is here to stay,” she said. “We are important to culture.”