Celebrating Pride in Downtown Wilkes-Barre

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Pride Parade kicked off Sunday afternoon in the city of Wilkes-Barre. The annual tradition is hosted by the NEPA Rainbow Alliance.

In Downtown Wilkes-Barre, hundreds of people came out to celebrate the Annual Pride Festival.

For three years, the city of Wilkes-Barre has been celebrating Pride.

They kick things off with a parade, then a big after-party on the Square.

Shea Hughes, the executive director of the Pride Festival, says it gets bigger and bigger every year.

“Grown every year so far so we started very small with having to really reach out to a lot of people to try and get them to come here and now we get people reaching out to us all the time they wanna come they want to set up their tents they want to support it’s amazing. It’s absolutely amazing,” Hughes explained.

One attendee says it’s nice to see the city has progressed.

“It definitely makes a city more inclusive. You know I grew up in Pringle in the Larksville Wilkes-Barre area and I work over here and you know it’s been a long road to get here. It’s been you know gay marriage hasn’t been legal for that long so even for just Wilkes-Barre to come together and acknowledge this and and have a big party. It’s a great thing,” said Shelby Yoh from Pringle.

One man says what brings him back year after year is simply to support and have a good time.

“I try to support all the Pride in the area. It’s very important as someone who is an ally the more you come out and support others cause love is love that you get an education on politics of what candidates are supporting the right people so these people can still have the rights and freedoms,” said Longwood resident Anthony Blackwell.

A great time was had by all and everyone 28/22 News spoke to says they plan on returning next year. They also had a variety of live performances.

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