Apr 23, 2022 2 min read

Organizers of Washington’s inaugural Pride festival are hoping the third time will be the charm.

Originally scheduled to happen in 2020, it was put off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then called off again in 2021 as the pandemic lumbered on. However, with vaccines having gone in many more arms over the last 12 months and restrictions falling away, the celebration of the region’s LGBTQA community is now set for Saturday, June 11, starting at noon.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Tyler Bogden, the co-chair of the festival and the vice chairman of the Washington County Gay Straight Alliance. “It’s full steam ahead on this one.”

The festival will unfold at Washington’s Main Street Community Pavilion at 139 S. Main St., and have musicians and DJs performing through the day. The headliner is the band Transviolet, an alternative rock band based in California that has released three EPs and three singles, and has had one of their songs featured in the Netflix series “Unbelievable.” Also on the bill are Chicago singer-songwriter Steve Grand, Pittsburgh DJs Admc and DJ Petey C. Drag, and ballroom performers are also set to appear.

Pride festivals have long been fixtures of large metropolitan areas, and Pittsburgh’s annual Pride celebration is set for the first weekend in June. To the best of Bodgen’s knowledge, this is the first time one of Pittsburgh’s suburban or exurban communities has had a Pride festival. Organizers want to provide “that inclusive space for the attendees to feel proud and safe.”

He added, “We’re proud of being given the opportunity to do this and bring this to Washington and celebrate diversity and just have a big celebration.”

Go online to washpapride.com for additional information.