We are part of The Trust Project.
ROCHESTER — Rochester Pride organizers said they hoped up to 1,000 would attend this year’s return of the event.
On Saturday they got that and 50% more, according to early crowd estimates.
“It was wildly successful from our perspective,” said Julie Winters, Rochester Pride board member on Sunday.
An estimated 1,500 people attended the fest celebrating gender-identity and sexual-orientation minority communities and their allies Saturday at Soldier’s Field Park. It drew nearly double the crowd that attended Rochester Pride in 2019 — the last time the event was held.
About 800 people attended the inaugural Rochester Pride in 2019. That was after the former Rochester Pridefest was canceled in 2018.
ADVERTISEMENT
Two and a half years off due to COVID-19 didn’t kill the new group’s momentum, Winters said. It likely helped people appreciate an opportunity to celebrate, she added.
“I think maybe there was a sense of longing for the LGBTQ community to get together and celebrate what makes us special, what makes us unique and what we have in common as well,” Winters said.
The work of a board of 12 volunteers, 25 event volunteers and about 500 volunteer hours of planning paid off big Saturday.
Bella McAtee said she was glad to see the large turnout. She attended the former Rochester Pridefest but stopped after 2015. This year, McAtee brought her 5-year-old daughter, Yarah McAtee, and friends Abi Miller and Susannah Prewitt, both of St. Paul, to the event. McAtee said she was glad her daughter could see so much involvement and support for the LGBTQ community.
This year’s Rochester Pride was scheduled an hour longer than 2019, had one additional musical act, and 10 more vendors with a total of 80 booths.
However, given the long lines for food vendors, that’s an area that probably could have been expanded too, Winters said.
Both beer vendors South by Southeast and Little Thistle each had to restock kegs from their respective breweries.
“People show up hungry and thirsty,” Winters said, adding next year’s event will have more food trucks and vendors.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We probably forgot how things work after two years,” Winters joked.
Winters said they plan to add more featured LGBTQ artist booths next year too.
“We’re running out of space, but I think we have room for a few more,” she said.
