Central New York communities kicked off Pride Month over the weekend. The city of Syracuse raised its new Pride First Light Flag, which combines the designs of the City’s “First Light” Flag design with the colors of the Progress Flag, symbolizing unity and progress within the Syracuse community.
The theme of Central New York Pride this year is "Out Loud." CNY Pride President and Syracuse Common Councilor Jimmy Monto said the past several years have been rough for the LGBTQ+ community seeing legislative efforts he said aim to stifle the rights they worked so hard to get.
"When we say something like 'Out Loud,' I think we have to be louder now than ever," Monto said. "And I feel that way every year. Like the the moment you get too quiet, people think you've kind of given up. For anybody out there that is marginalized like that, the fight is never over until nobody is marginalized."
The CNY Pride Festival and Parade is set for June 22 at the newly named Progress Park in Syracuse's Inner Harbor.
"When you get there, you're going to see that the walkways have been painted in a Progress flag way," Monto said. "We're going to have some more art there. There's more art coming. It's a big deal. It's a way to plant our feet and say, 'This park is not ours. It is just named for something we believe in which is progress.'"
The parade will kick off at 11 a.m. with the festival running from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Headliners for the event include Drag artists Lala Ri and Landon Cider.
Other Pride Month events in central New York:
June 3: Rome Pride Flag Raising
June 8: Salt City Drag Battle at Syracuse Stage
June 8: Little Falls Pride
June 8 and 9: Ithaca Pride
June 13: CNY Pride and Guerrilla Gay Events present: Pride Night with the Syracuse Mets
June 14 - 16: Watertown Pride
June 15: Cazenovia Pride Fest & Parade
June 16:Rome Pride Fair
June 21 and 22: Syracuse Gay & Lesbian Chorus Pride Concert
For more events, click here.
