MAY 24, 2022 — As part of PRIDE Month in June, Downtown Ithaca is preparing to host its inaugural Pride Week.

From June 26 through July 3, come enjoy a variety of educational and fun activities that are crafted to celebrate and support Ithaca’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQAI+) community.  Events will include live performances from LGBTQIA+ groups at the Bernie Milton Pavilion, an LGBTQ+ vendor showcase with gourmet foods, handcrafted jewelry, art, and more; an LGBTQIA+ History Walking Tour; fashion and drag shows; and HIV testing. Plus, Cinemapolis will show a documentary about the Stonewall Riots, and Buffalo Street Books will be offering special deals on books and hosting appearances by guest authors. Oh, and you don’t want to miss the epic dance parties that will be happening at the Community School of Music and Arts.

The Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) is organizing Pride Week to help Ithaca celebrate the progress the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer community has made since the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and the gay rights movement victories that followed this historic event.

“Ithaca and Tompkins County is home to a vibrant group of LGBTQIA+ folks — nearly 500 same-sex couples reside in the county — and we embrace our diverse population as one of our community’s strengths. We are delighted to host an event where locals and visitors can celebrate our diversity and inclusivity,” says DIA Executive Director Gary Ferguson.

“Our PRIDE Week will highlight LGBTQIA+ community members who are producing art and other work that depict a variety of experiences. Our activities will be fun and educational. We thank everyone from the sponsors to our partnerships to the community for its support of this event,” adds Pride Week organizer Danny Palmer, DIA assistant director of special events.

Downtown Ithaca’s PRIDE Week is made possible in part by financial support from Tompkins Trust Company and Maguire Hyundai Subaru Genesis, as well as event support and collaboration from community partners: Buffalo Street Books, Tompkins County Public Library, Cinemapolis, K-HOUSE Karaoke Lounge & Suites, Smash Bros World Foods, and Community School of Music and Arts.

For more information, including a full schedule of events, visit downtownithaca.com/pride.