22nd Annual Erie Pride Picnic

On Saturday. June 14, NW PA Pride Alliance organized the 22nd Annual Erie Pride Picnic at the Rotary Pavilion at Presque Isle State Park.Members of the LGBT community and their friends, family and supporters enjoyed a fun day with a great potluck.

This year's picnic was particularly joyous because marriage equality became the law owing to a federal court decision on May 20. There was a special wedding cake for all the newly-recognized and about-to-be married couples.

Organizations and companies with tables at the event included Adagio Health, ACLU - NWPA Chapter, Community Health Net, Crime Victim Center of Erie County, Equality PA, Erie County Department of Health, Erie Sisters, First Niagara Bank, Gaudenzia / SHOUT Outreach, Jamestown Pride Society, Lake Erie Counseling Associates, LBT Women of Erie, Marriage Equality for Pennsylvania, Mental Health Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Persad Center, PFLAG Erie and Crawford Counties, PNC Bank, Rainbow Pride Connection, and UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion. UPMC provided free blood pressure screenings.

Thanks go out to our staff and volunteersfor making the event possible: Rex Apps, Alex Sphon, Alex Bolla, Alex Dudas AKA DJ Lunchbox, Kristen Marie, Deb Spilko, Kelly Kidd, Audrey, Johauna Glover, Season Crannell, Jeremy Snyder. Gary Snyder, Collis Allen, Brian Davies, and Matthew Robison.

NW PA Pride Alliance provided Smith's hot dogs, ox roast, soft driinks and bottled water.

Many thanks to all who contributed to the pot luck!

Photos are by Deb Spilko and Matthew Robison

About the Author

Michael Mahler Michael Kenton Mahler (He/Him) has been the editor of Erie Gay News since it was founded in December 1992. He is also a founding member of NWPA Pride Alliance. He serves on the Governor's Commission for LGBTQ Affairs and is active with Aging with Pride and the Erie County HIV Task Force. He became the first LGBTQ person to be fully out in May 1992 when appearing on local TV coverage. Michael currently works as a software developer for Erie Custom Computer Applications.

Photos

Also view photos here.

Videos

GOErie coverage of Pride Picnic - Posted Jun 14, 2014

Steven Michael Cobb Talking about the J-Pride Support group - Posted Jun 14, 2014

Helen Walther talks about Southern Tier Trans Network and Ch - Posted Jun 14, 2014