Gay pride parade winston salem nc
Winston-Salem Pride
By Charles Czysz
In 2011, the organization Equality Winston-Salem organized Winston-Salem Pride, a series of events culminating in a parade through downtown. Advertisements and reports of the event focused on the 15-year gap between the previous pride parade which occurred in 1996, yet there was little data on why there was a 15 year gap[1].
NCPride 1996
NCPride, a state-wide company promoting unity among and visibility of LGBT people, holds annual pride parades which used to transform host cities before settling at Duke's East Campus in Durham in 2000. Winston-Salem was chosen as the host city for the 1996 parade. The organizers expected an attendance of 10,000 people, but police only half that based on previous parades. Parade attendees placed the figure somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000[2].
Cheryl Hopkins, a co-chairwoman of the celebration and its associated events, wrote in a June 7th, 1996 article for the Winston-Salem Journal that one of the reasons for holding the parades is to “raise awareness within the community and begin a dialogue on gay issues[3].” The biggest issue in 1996 was the rece
About 60,000 people go to Pride Winston-Salem procession and festival.
Nearly 60,000 people attended and participated Saturday in the 12th annual Pride Winston-Salem’s parade and festival in downtown Winston-Salem, organizers said.
The crowd’s size exceeded the organizers’ earlier estimate of 55,000 people who would join and participate in the events, said Jerry Morin, the president of Lgbtq+ fest Winston-Salem.
The parade, which started at West Fourth and Poplar streets, drew spectators that lined Fourth Street to Trade Street. In some spots, the crowd numbered more than 10 people dense on the sidewalks.
Some spectators cheered and applauded as the parade’s participants walked by them. Many spectators and march participants waved Movement flags and wore rainbow themed clothes.
Teresa Southern, of Greensboro, said she attended the parade to support the local community and to protest Trump and his administration.
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“It isn’t just him that is the problem,” Southern said. “It’s the entire administration.”
After the parade ended, its participants and spectators walked to Trade Street for the Pride festival and to North Liberty
Winston-Salem's 12th annual Self-acceptance parade and festival drew an estimated 60,000 in downtown on Saturday, according to the event's organizers. This year's event coincided with the local No Kings national time of protest against President Donald Trump.
Winston-Salem to celebrate Pride this Saturday
Tens of thousands of people are expected to protest their way through downtown Winston-Salem tomorrow morning in honor of Pride.
Following the parade, there will be bands, drag performers and speakers on two stages along Trade Street. Attendees can also check out more than 100 vendors and 12 food trucks.
Jerry Morin, the president of Celebration Winston-Salem, says the day is going to be fun and positive, but it’s been a challenging year.
“We've lost some legacy sponsors that have been with us since 2013 simply because the DEI wording in some of the executive actions that this administration has put in place," Morin said.
Several Pride parades across the country are facing financial challenges with sponsors pulling out. But Morin says the organization has been able to budget for the losses.
The procession this year also falls on “No Kings Day.” Activists across the country will be marching in protest of what they say are authoritarian actions under President Donald Trump.
These demonstrations are happening in High Point and Lexington, but in Winston-Salem, organizers have opted to march w