HALLOWELL — A persistent, soaking rain was not enough to stop hundreds of people from heading to downtown Hallowell on Saturday to celebrate Pride Month.
People, young and old, huddled under storefront awnings and umbrellas to take in a colorful parade that quickly marched north up Water Street at 1:30 p.m. Some also braved the rain with no more than the clothes they were wearing — most of them with a smile.
The parade highlighted the afternoon at the riverside city’s annual Pride celebration, organized by the Hallowell Pride Alliance, a group that says it celebrates Hallowell and its LGBTQIA+ community through education, outreach, advocacy and celebration.
“It was windy and rainy last time we were here,” said Mickey Doerfler, of Lewiston, who was selling prints at a fair at Granite City Park, where the parade ended.
“It was the same deal, where lots of people came out, lots of support, and lots of wonderful interactions. That’s why we came back.”
In addition to the fair of craft vendors, food trucks and nonprofit organizations set up at the park throughout the day, the parade was to be followed by live music, a drag show and an after-party at various locations in the city. Some events had to be moved because of the inclement weather, according to organizers.
The parade — led by a Hallowell police cruiser decked out with rainbow decals reminiscent of the Pride flag and wrapped up by a group blasting the recently popular song “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan — included local businesses and organizations. Organizers said beforehand that about 30 groups were expected to participate.
The theme of this year’s celebration in Hallowell was “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
The theme, a nod to the 1981 hit by the American rock band Journey, was intended to remind people of “the resilience, hope and unwavering spirit of the LGBTQIA+ community,” the Hallowell Pride Alliance wrote in an announcement for the event.
“Just as the iconic song encourages perseverance through hardships, Hallowell Pride stands as a testament to the strength and courage of those who continue to fight for equality and acceptance,” the group said. “No matter the challenges, we come together to celebrate love, authenticity and progress.”
June is Pride Month across the United States, commemorating the Stonewall uprising in 1969 in New York. The protests are considered a tipping point in the early fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
On Saturday, a small group of people protesting the Pride event gathered near the boat launch parking lot off Water Street. But it appeared most who gathered in Hallowell on Saturday were there to mark the monthlong celebration.
Pride Month events have been underway across Maine in the last week, and more are planned before the end of the month. Those scheduled in the coming weeks include celebrations in Brunswick, Farmington and Lubec, among several others.
In Hallowell, Hazel Orton Ross, 18, of Farmingdale, wearing a top hat and wrapped in a full-size Pride flag, sheltered under an umbrella while at Granite City Park.
Orton Ross, attending Hallowell’s Pride event for the first time, came with Hall-Dale High School’s Gay Straight Trans Alliance club.
“It was nice,” Orton Ross said of the day. “A lot of familiar faces.”
