Smiles stretched from the amphitheater to the dahlia garden lawn. Over just a few hours, quiet Volunteer Park transformed into a rainbow utopia full of vendors, festival attendees, and even a few lost tourists, all enjoying the atmosphere of unity.
Pride in the Park outdid itself this year. Taking into account the feedback from patrons and vendors from years past, Seattle Pride planned the biggest such event to date, including providing more accessibility for people previously inhibited from enjoying the full scope of activities. This year, the organization added portable grass ramps for wheelchair users, which allowed them to get closer to the mainstage to watch singers, dancers, drag queens, and even some slam poetry. The stage also included ASL interpreters for every performance.
Pride in the Park also had a special section for people in need of a break from overstimulation. The Neurodivergent Nebula was far enough from the loudspeakers at the mainstage that it provided a nice, shady break for anyone looking to decompress.
Family-friendly
One of the biggest attacks on the LGBTQ+ community in 2023 has been that events, like Pride, are not "family-friendly" and can be inappropriate for children. Seattle Pride proved the haters wrong this year by dedicating spaces specifically to children and families and keeping them a distance from other areas, like the beer garden, which was explicitly for patrons 21 and over.
The Pride in the Park Launch Pad helped kids connect with young adult activists, participate in artistic projects, and learn more about the history of the LGBTQ+ community. "I'm volunteering ...at the Launch Pad," M, a young activist said. "It goes with the theme of 'Galactic Love.' I care about Queer youth and being able to create a space for them to do arts and crafts and be themselves."
Family-friendly events also ran throughout the day and included an interactive drag queen story hour with Cookie Couture.
The welcoming environment made people feel safe expressing themselves. For some parents, like Jen, it was a chance to celebrate and accept their children.
"My son just came out as Gay, and then I got a tattoo last weekend," she shared. "[Pride means] not being ashamed and living your best life."
Another parent, Mike, found the event by accident. "We're in from out of town and stumbled upon it. We love it," he said. The event was a great way to explore Seattle's LGBTQ+ community, especially for his daughter. "We've just roamed around, enjoying the music. My daughter is a Lesbian, so she's very excited. This is one of her first events, and we just set her free. She's 12. I feel like it's really important to love who you want."
Supporting small businesses
Another concern Seattle Pride addressed this year was the capitalist takeover that often consumes the month of June. While the event still had plenty of corporate sponsors, like MOD Pizza and Red Bull, there was a separate area for local makers to sell their crafts. Prioritizing Queer artists and creators brought more exposure to their small businesses.
These included 3-D-printed lizards, a pop-up LGBTQ+ bookstore, boob-shaped candles, and plenty of Trans prints.
"It's going so wonderful, everyone's been so sweet, the weather is amazing, and it's been an overall wonderful event," one vendor, who preferred not to be named, said. They came out to Pride in the Park to help their friend sell some of his pieces, an artist who goes by Sam.Doodles on Instagram.
So much food!
Forgetting to bring cash may have been the biggest mistake for anyone who ventured to Volunteer Park on Saturday. Not only were there intricate art pieces and books and other merchandise for sale, but but there was also a smorgasbord of local food trucks. Lines for vegan hot dogs stretched nearly down the block. Waiting upwards of 30 minutes was worth it for the first bite of some delicious food truck cuisine, however.
Aside from the fantastic food, amazing art, perfect performances, and wonderful weather, Pride in the Park was a space for Seattle's Queer community to get together and celebrate what makes it special.
"It's a fun community. It's nice to be around other Gay people," commented one participant who decided to come with their friends.
"We went to school together. We decided to kick off Pride together. We're all Trans," they added.
"It's also really nice to be around so many other Trans people when we're being persecuted so horribly," their friend added.
Above all, Pride in the Park was a day of joy for Queer and Trans people in Seattle and the perfect start to Pride month. It was a day to celebrate and look at all the others willing to live boldly and out loud and find inspiration to carry on throughout the year.