Newburyport’s Pride in the Port festival on Saturday, June 11th is a great opportunity for the city to show its true colors. That’s when this culturally rich North Shore enclave will host its annual celebration of Pride Month and once again prove that it’s all about community here.
For LGBTQ+ people, “community” might mean, at minimum, acceptance, inclusion, respect, and equality. In Newburyport, all people are valued, but Pride in the Port goes beyond the mere minimums and truly celebrates this specific segment of its population and visitors.
There is a plethora of ways that organizations and businesses are showing the love: pub events, dance parties, street entertainment, store specials, music, kids’ activities, a Mutt Strut, cruises, and even special swag. Pride in the Port has something for everyone, so you can bring the kids, the grandparents, and even the pooches. Festivity locations and events include:
Pride in the Port Events:
- Bar25 from 1:00-6:00 p.m. It’s a Party on State Street!
- Market Square/Inn Street Festivities from 1:00-7:00 p.m.
- Riverwalk Brewery from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
- Seacoast Stillettos hip-hop dance performance on Inn Street at 2:00 p.m.
- Thirsty Whale from 6:00-10:00 p.m.
- Captain’s Lady Sunset Cruise from 6:30-10:00 p.m. (Purchase Tickets in advance.)
You can also check out the Newburyport Events Calendar for more details regarding the Pride in the Port Market Square Celebration. If you are unable to make it downtown to State Street in person, you can view the fun on the Newburyport.com Live Web Cams.
Pride Month is meant to encourage LGBTQ+ people to be proud of who they are (in a world that can often make that difficult), and that’s certainly important, but the Pride in the Port event is also meant to show LGBTQ+ residents and visitors that Newburyport is proud to have them. As Mayor Sean Reardon said, “We are committed to being a city that is welcoming to all, and to creating…safe spaces and positive experiences for all…people.”
For more LGBTQ+ and Pride resources, check out the Newburyport Public Library, Newburyport Youth Services, and NAGLY (North Shore Alliance of GLBTQ Youth).
