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Start of Pride Month in West Virginia celebrated in Charleston with parade and street festival

Pride events scheduled around the state in June; See photos of parade and festival

WV Press News Report in partnership with “When All Are Counted”

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in West Virginia kicked off June 1 and the City of Charleston hosted a parade and street festival on Saturday with hundreds visiting downtown for activities and exhibits around Summers Street and City Center at Slack Plaza and a parade from Kanawha Boulevard to Summers Street.

There were also events in Parkersburg, Morgantown and other locations in West Virginia during the weekend.

Among the many exhibitors on Saturday were representatives from Rainbow Pride of West Virginia, Fairness West Virginia, Women’s Health Center of WV, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Crisis Line, Mountain Care Network, West Virginia Coalition Again Domestic Violence and National Domestic Violence and the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program, who were sharing information about their services.

Additionally, ThinkKidsWV was there gathering contact information for its “When All Are Counted” project that is studying how “majority rule” type of health data collection affects three specific populations: the Black, LGBTQ+, and disability populations, in West Virginia. The goal is to create a more inclusive health surveillance system where everyone counts, and everyone is counted. Learn more about the program here. To share information or discuss issues, contact Autumn Shelton at [email protected]

The project is funded under Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Community Research for Health Equity program, managed by AcademyHealth, and directed by Think Kids WV. The West Virginia Prevention Research Center (WVPRC) oversees the qualitative research component of the project. 

Some of the entries in the parade:

Some of the displays on Summer Street:

Fairness West Virginia has put together the following list of events for Pride Month and is still gathering information:

June 6Kanawha County Public Library — Main Library Room 311C
Movie Night at the Library
4:00pm – 6:00pm
Join KCPL for a movie night at the library! June is Pride Month and we will be viewing a film featuring LGBTQ+ characters. The movie rating will be PG-13. Feel free to bring a snack! Water and soda will be provided. This event will go along with KCPL’s summer reading program theme “All Together Now,” which focuses on kindness, friendship, and unity.

RSVP on Facebook!
June 8Rainbow Pride hosts Pride Night at the ball park
GoMart Ballpark, First pitch at 6:35 p.m.
The first 500 fans to through the gates will receive a limited edition Dirty Birds Pride baseball cap. Enjoy the night at Pride Central and stick around after the game for a Drag show at the Ballpark.
Tickets available here or at the gate on game day!
June 10Parkersburg Pride PrideFest
Parkersburg City Park, Noon – 4 p.m.
The celebration will feature local entertainment including Drag queens, musicians, vendors and food trucks. This year, Parkersburg Pride is looking to highlight local individuals and organizations working to make the Mid-Ohio Valley a more inclusive place for LGBTQ people through the Excellence in Pride awards. Check out this post to nominate learn more or nominate someone you know!
VENDORS — Is your business or organization interested in being a vendor? Sign up here. 
SPONSORS — 
Interested in financially supporting Parkersburg Pride? Fill out this form. 
Click here to follow Parkersburg Pride on Facebook for more updates
June 10PFLAG Fairmont Pride
Fairmont Greenspace, Adams Street and Monroe Street, Noon – 5 p.m.
The Pride celebration is one of several events hosted this week as part of PFLAG Fairmont’s diversity week. Visit here for information on other programming. 
VENDORS — Is your business or organization interested in being a vendor? Sign up here.
SPONSORS — Interested in financially supporting this year’s Fairmont Pride? Give to PFLAG through the PayPal link here.
Connect with PFLAG Fairmont on Facebook for more details!
June 11Inaugural West Virginia Black Pride Festival
Magic Island in Charleston, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Come and celebrate the very first Black Pride Festival, hosted by the WV Black Pride Foundation. The festival will celebrate Juneteenth along with West Virginia’s LGBTQ community.
There will be activities for all ages, including local food vendors and retailers, a hair show, a fashion show, an open mic, a step show and a DJ and special guest star.
Click here to RSVP on Facebook!
June 17The Rainbow Run 5k sponsored by Covenant House and Rainbow Pride of WV
Capitol Market in Charleston, race starts 9 a.m.
Come run, skip, walk or sashay to raise funds for Rainbow Pride of WV’s Educational Scholarship and raise awareness to Kick Smoking’s Butt in WV’s LGBTQ Community.
Click here to register for the run before June 13, 2023.
June 17Beckley Pride
Beckley Intermodal Gateway, starting at Noon
Sign up to be a vendor here: https://forms.gle/SArZPm2FR2Mzihzz5
RSVP on Facebook!
June 17Eastern Panhandle Pride
Downtown Martinsburg, Noon – 5 p.m.
Follow Eastern Panhandle Pride for more details!
June 17Lost River Pride
Located at the Lost Rivers Farmers Market, Noon – 5 p.m.
For more information, visit this website!
June 23-24Morgantown Pride Parade & Block Party
The parade will be held on the 23rd with a block party featuring local vendors and more on the 24th at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park.
More information will be added as it is made available.
Click here for more information, as well as to sign up to sponsor the event or be a vendor
June 24Berkeley Springs Pride
Berkeley Springs State Park, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Follow Berkeley Springs Pride on Facebook for more updates!
June 24Putnam Pride
Valley Park, Hurricane
More details will be added as they are announced.
Follow Putnam Pride on Facebook for more updates!
June 24Greenbrier Valley Pride
Located in Ronceverte
More details will be added as they are announced
Follow GVP on Facebook for more updates!
June 24Elkins Pride
The Elkins City Park, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
June 27Kanawha County Pubic Library — St. Albans Branch Library
Celebrate Pride: Movie Night and Discussion
5:30pm – 7:30pmIt has been over 50 years since the events of the Stonewall riot. Come to the library to watch a movie called State of Pride. This movie examines the current state of the LGBTQIA+ community and showcases how far we have come and things that are still left to be done. This event will go along with our summer reading program theme “All Together Now” which focuses on diversity, inclusion, community, and kindness. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP on Facebook!
July 8-9Ohio Valley Pride
More details will be added as they are announced
Apply here to be a vendor: https://form.jotform.com/230368811900149
Follow Ohio Valley Pride on Facebook for more updates!