Second Annual Stark Pride Festival Set for June 10, 2023
LGBTQ+ event returns to downtown Canton, Ohio with even more to offer.
Canton, OH, May 16, 2023 --(PR.com)-- The Stark Pride Festival 2023 will be held rain or shine at Centennial Plaza and surrounding streets in downtown Canton on Saturday, June 10, 2023. Over 5,000 people are expected for the large-scale LGBTQ+ Pride festival returning to Stark County. The event is open to all interested and supportive people and will feature music, entertainment, food trucks, speakers, community organizations, drag performances, dancing, vendors, and activities for kids and youth. A Pride Walk will take place prior to the start of the festival.
Centennial Plaza Main Stage Entertainment from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm hosted by DJ Krooze and emcee Danyel Vasquez withperformances throughout by Brionna Brooks, Daphne' Dupree, The Empress Dupree, Jazmyn Hyte James, Jace Blaze, and Jessica Love
2:00 pm Opening Ceremonies featuring The Bluecoats, the Cleveland Transgender Choir, and community leaders
3:00 pm Mellow Villains (Alliance, Ohio)
4:30 pm The Scenic Route (Canton, Ohio)
6:00 pm Ethan Soza (Rochester, New York)
7:30 pm The Vindys (Youngstown, Ohio)
9:00 pm MkX (Photos and Press Kit) the Los Angeles-based headline entertainer made possible through a Cultural Tourism Grant from ArtsinStark and Visit Canton
Kempthorn Stage Entertainment from 2:45 pm to 7:00 pm hosted by Nikolina DJ Diva and emcee Meshawn Define who will perform music and comedy on 4th Street NW at Dewalt Ave NW
3:00 pm Mark David (Akron, Ohio)
4:30 pm Kodachrome Babies (Dover/New Philadelphia, Ohio)
6:00 pm Kyleen Downes (Dayton, Ohio)
Listen to this Spotify playlist to hear music from some of their entertainers.
Book online for overnight accommodations with a special rate at the DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown.
The Stark Pride Festival and Walk 2023 would not be possible without financial and other support from our sponsors, exhibitors, food vendors, and donors, as well as downtown Canton bars, restaurants, shops, galleries. The City of Canton, including police, fire/EMTs, and Mayor Tom Bernabei and staff, as well as the Centennial Plaza staff from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, have worked with Stark Pride Festival committee volunteers to bring this festival and walk to Stark County for a second consecutive year. Queer In Canton, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to cultivate community and create an equal Canton, is the fiscal sponsor of the Stark Pride Festival Committee.
Sponsors of the Stark Pride Festival and Walk 2023 are:
Platinum Level ($5,000+): Marathon Petroleum Company LPand Visit Canton/ArtsinStark
Gold Level ($2,500+): Craig Covey LGBT and Diversity Pride Fund at SCF, Equitas Health, PNC Bank, Downtown Canton Partnership, and Huntington Bank
Silver Level ($1,000+): Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa, Aultman/AultCare, City of Canton Fair Housing, Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, The Auricle Venue & Bar, Kent State University, Lepley & Co., DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown, MattCo Insurance, LRG, Inc., and CANAPI/Akron Pride Festival
Bronze Level ($500+): Hall of Fame Village, Modern Ritual, TRG2A A Premier Independent Insurance Agency, Walkie Talkie Coffee, Canton Museum of Art, Shearer’s, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, Synchrony, United Steelworkers Local 9187, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health, United Church Homes, Inc./The Chapel Hill Community, Delagrange Clothing, and Theater-Masks.com
Copper Level ($250+): Foundation Wellness and 323 Properties Management LLC
Food Vendors will be on hand this year in addition to food available at downtown joints, including:
Empamami, Word of Mouth BBQ, R&J SMOKERS BBQ, Kona Ice, Travelin’ Tom's Coffee, Walkie Talkie Coffee, Island Delights, and My Dee Good Eatin’
Vendors will be selling flowers and other goods, including:
Quonset Hut, Northside Marketplace, Momma's Rocks, DHD Designs Ohio, Unicorn Massacres Designs, and Wednesday Workshop
Exhibitors will share information and connect with community members, including:
City of Canton Civil Service Commission; Canton City Public Health (also offering free HIV testing), Akron Democratic Socialists of America; North-East Ohio Socialist Rifle Association; New Vision United Church of Christ; Leafguard; Trinity United Church of Christ; Harmony Springs Christian Church; Crossroads United Methodist Church; Ohio Mama Bears of Stark County; SAFY of Canton/Akron (Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth); Jennifer Seda-Miller, LPCCS and Robert Johnson, LPC; GLSEN Northeast Ohio; League of Women Voters - Canton Area; Temple Israel; Edward Jones; TK Home Inspection; NAMI Stark County / YouthMOVE Stark County; University of Mount Union; Queer In Canton; Akron PFLAG; NailedbyStark, LLC; Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America; MK Team at McDowell Homes, CrossCountry Mortgage; Oddmall; Wellness Grove; HWS Best Health Counseling; Canton Symphony; and CommQuest Services, Inc.
Parking is available on any downtown Canton street that is not closed to traffic or otherwise reserved. Parking lots and garages include the Onesto Parking Garage (238 Cleveland Ave NW), the Millennium Parking Deck (200-298 3rd St NE), the lot at 401-499 Court Ave NW, and others. Also consider taking a SARTA bus, bicycle, or ride share.
Designed as a community celebration and visibility event, Stark Pride Festival and Walk 2023 joins similar festivals, rallies, parades, and marches across Ohio, the nation, and the world each year for the LGBTQ+ and allied communities. Pride events are often held during June of each year to commemorate the founding of the modern gay rights movement, which began after the riots in New York City in June 1969.
For more information, go to the official Stark Pride website (www.starkpride.org), Facebook or Instagram or TikTok.
Centennial Plaza Main Stage Entertainment from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm hosted by DJ Krooze and emcee Danyel Vasquez withperformances throughout by Brionna Brooks, Daphne' Dupree, The Empress Dupree, Jazmyn Hyte James, Jace Blaze, and Jessica Love
2:00 pm Opening Ceremonies featuring The Bluecoats, the Cleveland Transgender Choir, and community leaders
3:00 pm Mellow Villains (Alliance, Ohio)
4:30 pm The Scenic Route (Canton, Ohio)
6:00 pm Ethan Soza (Rochester, New York)
7:30 pm The Vindys (Youngstown, Ohio)
9:00 pm MkX (Photos and Press Kit) the Los Angeles-based headline entertainer made possible through a Cultural Tourism Grant from ArtsinStark and Visit Canton
Kempthorn Stage Entertainment from 2:45 pm to 7:00 pm hosted by Nikolina DJ Diva and emcee Meshawn Define who will perform music and comedy on 4th Street NW at Dewalt Ave NW
3:00 pm Mark David (Akron, Ohio)
4:30 pm Kodachrome Babies (Dover/New Philadelphia, Ohio)
6:00 pm Kyleen Downes (Dayton, Ohio)
Listen to this Spotify playlist to hear music from some of their entertainers.
Book online for overnight accommodations with a special rate at the DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown.
The Stark Pride Festival and Walk 2023 would not be possible without financial and other support from our sponsors, exhibitors, food vendors, and donors, as well as downtown Canton bars, restaurants, shops, galleries. The City of Canton, including police, fire/EMTs, and Mayor Tom Bernabei and staff, as well as the Centennial Plaza staff from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, have worked with Stark Pride Festival committee volunteers to bring this festival and walk to Stark County for a second consecutive year. Queer In Canton, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to cultivate community and create an equal Canton, is the fiscal sponsor of the Stark Pride Festival Committee.
Sponsors of the Stark Pride Festival and Walk 2023 are:
Platinum Level ($5,000+): Marathon Petroleum Company LPand Visit Canton/ArtsinStark
Gold Level ($2,500+): Craig Covey LGBT and Diversity Pride Fund at SCF, Equitas Health, PNC Bank, Downtown Canton Partnership, and Huntington Bank
Silver Level ($1,000+): Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa, Aultman/AultCare, City of Canton Fair Housing, Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, The Auricle Venue & Bar, Kent State University, Lepley & Co., DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown, MattCo Insurance, LRG, Inc., and CANAPI/Akron Pride Festival
Bronze Level ($500+): Hall of Fame Village, Modern Ritual, TRG2A A Premier Independent Insurance Agency, Walkie Talkie Coffee, Canton Museum of Art, Shearer’s, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, Synchrony, United Steelworkers Local 9187, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health, United Church Homes, Inc./The Chapel Hill Community, Delagrange Clothing, and Theater-Masks.com
Copper Level ($250+): Foundation Wellness and 323 Properties Management LLC
Food Vendors will be on hand this year in addition to food available at downtown joints, including:
Empamami, Word of Mouth BBQ, R&J SMOKERS BBQ, Kona Ice, Travelin’ Tom's Coffee, Walkie Talkie Coffee, Island Delights, and My Dee Good Eatin’
Vendors will be selling flowers and other goods, including:
Quonset Hut, Northside Marketplace, Momma's Rocks, DHD Designs Ohio, Unicorn Massacres Designs, and Wednesday Workshop
Exhibitors will share information and connect with community members, including:
City of Canton Civil Service Commission; Canton City Public Health (also offering free HIV testing), Akron Democratic Socialists of America; North-East Ohio Socialist Rifle Association; New Vision United Church of Christ; Leafguard; Trinity United Church of Christ; Harmony Springs Christian Church; Crossroads United Methodist Church; Ohio Mama Bears of Stark County; SAFY of Canton/Akron (Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth); Jennifer Seda-Miller, LPCCS and Robert Johnson, LPC; GLSEN Northeast Ohio; League of Women Voters - Canton Area; Temple Israel; Edward Jones; TK Home Inspection; NAMI Stark County / YouthMOVE Stark County; University of Mount Union; Queer In Canton; Akron PFLAG; NailedbyStark, LLC; Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America; MK Team at McDowell Homes, CrossCountry Mortgage; Oddmall; Wellness Grove; HWS Best Health Counseling; Canton Symphony; and CommQuest Services, Inc.
Parking is available on any downtown Canton street that is not closed to traffic or otherwise reserved. Parking lots and garages include the Onesto Parking Garage (238 Cleveland Ave NW), the Millennium Parking Deck (200-298 3rd St NE), the lot at 401-499 Court Ave NW, and others. Also consider taking a SARTA bus, bicycle, or ride share.
Designed as a community celebration and visibility event, Stark Pride Festival and Walk 2023 joins similar festivals, rallies, parades, and marches across Ohio, the nation, and the world each year for the LGBTQ+ and allied communities. Pride events are often held during June of each year to commemorate the founding of the modern gay rights movement, which began after the riots in New York City in June 1969.
For more information, go to the official Stark Pride website (www.starkpride.org), Facebook or Instagram or TikTok.
Contact
StarkPride
TJ Horwood
202-494-6843
Starkpride.org
TJ Horwood
202-494-6843
Starkpride.org
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