Monroe County Pride 2024 Celebrates Gender Diversity

MONROE — On June 30, rainbow colors filled St. Mary’s Park as visitors celebrated Monroe County Pride 2024. This year’s theme, “There’s No Place Like Home,” was organized and hosted by Embrace and Prism.

A rainbow arch welcomed guests. More than 20 vendors and performers sat under canopies. Various businesses, clubs, churches and organizations spread throughout the park. Many handed out educational materials, along with Pride giveaways such as rainbow bags, stickers, buttons and free water.

The five-hour event took place on the last day of Pride Month and provided an opportunity to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and diverse sexual orientations and genders (LGBTQI+) and raise awareness of how communities can embrace the variety of sexual orientations and gender diversity.

Prism’s Reese Johnson estimates more than 1,000 people attended the celebration originally scheduled for Saturday, June 29.

“We canceled Saturday due to the extreme weather conditions,” Reese Johnson said. “It was a difficult decision, but our top priority is people’s safety. We wanted to make sure everyone could enjoy the event without worrying about rain.”

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This was Johnson’s third year involved with Monroe County Pride. Previously held at Munson Park, the venue moved to its West Elm Street location in 2023.

“We took a ‘Go big or go home’ attitude,” she said. “We want to make it as big as possible and this year’s event had a great atmosphere.”

Johnson explained that it can sometimes be difficult for a member of the LGBTQI+ community to know if they have supporters.

Grace Marks of Carleton walked through the park with her granddaughter Carolyn. They stopped to watch the various performers in the drag show before grabbing a corn dog and fries from a food truck.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been to a Pride celebration,” Marks said. “I came for Carolyn. There are strangers talking to strangers. One woman said to me, ‘Thank you for being so kind and talking to me.’ It’s a good energy here. It feels safe.”

“It was amazing to see how many people came out to Pride to show their support,” Johnson said.

Plans are already underway for Monroe County Pride 2025, with the hosts meeting soon to evaluate this year’s event.

“We get together and discuss what we liked this year and how we want to move forward,” she said.

— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at [email protected].

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Monroe County Pride 2024 Celebrates Gender Diversity

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