Rain made rainbows at Oneonta’s annual Pridefest events Saturday, June 7, organized by Otsego Pride Alliance.
A parade kicked off the event, starting at 1:30 p.m. on Market Street. A white Subaru Forester, decked out in rainbow flags, led the procession.
The parade grew to more than 100 marchers, many carrying signs and flags, as it progressed down Main Street, then South Main Street, back to Market Street and ending in Neahwa Park at the festival.
While the skies drizzled on and off in the morning, the sun came out by mid-afternoon.
Kerri Lincoln, OPA vice president, said Monday that an estimated 1,500 to 1,700 people attended the event, “overall our biggest festival to date.”
More than 100 local artists and vendors were set up in the park, including more than 30 community resource booths and six food trucks.
“I’m so proud of our dedicated planning committee, all of our amazing volunteers and our community for showing up, as a beautiful expression of queer joy, resilience and queer resistance,” Lincoln said.
Ten couples participated in a collective wedding ceremony with officiant Mark Reynolds to commemorate 10 years of marriage equality in the United States.
This year’s Kota Flood Memorial Scholarship winners Lauren Huber, Sagel Utter and Dez Robinson received $500 each.
A raffle of a custom skateboard designed by tattoo artist Xanthian Moon to raise money for the scholarship gained more than $950.
During the OPA awards ceremony, Marietta Flaherty won Outstanding Ally; OPA President Kirsten Eggers won Outstanding Community Member; and Chloe Diamond-Lenow won the OPA Award
Pride as a call to action
Denise Norris, a transgender activist based in Andes, gave a speech called “The Purpose of Pride,” reflecting on her decades of activism and urging the crowd to take action to “protest against oppression, discrimination, violence, disease and erasure.”
“Make no mistake, trans folk aren’t a delicate, cuddly minority,” Norris said. “We are fierce, armed with thorns, to protect our visibility and rights. Just look at what happens if you get our pronouns wrong.”
She called trans rights “the canary in the coal mine,” signaling what could happen if other minority groups are targeted.
“Mark my words: if the White House succeeds in erasing our identities, it will pave the way to strip the the rights of queer, bisexual, lesbian, and gay individuals” she said. “Abortion rights, minority rights, women’s rights, migrant rights, children’s rights. Everyone who is not white, conservative, Christian and male will be next. And they have already started.”
Pride is not just a celebration, she said — it is a protest.
“Pride affirms the inherent dignity, worth and beauty of every individual,” she said. “It is an act of self-acceptance and authenticity, a safe space where people can stand unabashedly as who they are or who they want to become, free from the need to hide or apologize.”
Upcoming OPA events include Pride Skate, 6-8 p.m. June 22 at Interskate 88. Free admission and laser tag, $3 skate rental.
The Pride Prom: Till Death Do Us Part, is scheduled for 7-11 p.m. June 28 at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center. Tickets are available online at www.foothillspac.org or at the door.