SisTers PGH is proud to announce that registration is open for this year's People's Pride Parade and Music Festival! The fun-filled event will be held on Sunday, June 25, 2023.

Aging with Pride, an organization of senior LGBT+ members and allies, develops and sponsors social/recreational and educational events to promote healthy leisure activities, community, and an active, enjoyable lifestyle. The group was organized in 2017 by Dale Allgeier of Lake Erie Counseling in response to an identified need in the Erie Area for support to older LGBT+ individuals, providing support, friendship, social opportunities, and discussion of issues of importance such as medical/health needs, housing/legal/financial concerns, discrimination, disabilities, and social isolation. The group stopped meeting due to COVID and is now back.

The Safe Zone is an LGBTQ+ group that meets on the 4th Friday of the month from 11 am to noon. It’s a place to come together to celebrate diversity, create support, share experiences & resources, and help educate one another. We meet at The Pointe in Oil City, 259 Seneca Street, Oil City, PA 16301. This group is for adults 18 years or older.

NW PA Pride Alliance will host Pridefest this year on June 24. We will gather at The Zone Dance, 133 W 18th St, Erie, PA, from 11-12 and step off to march to Perry Square at 12. If you are interested in having a table or being a group looking to register for the parade, please visit NWPAPride.org/pride-registration. There is no charge to be a parade unit; a table is $15 and includes an 8' long table and two chairs. You may bring your own up to 10' by 10' canopy/tent. Tables are limited, so please secure your table before the June 1 deadline.

NW PA Pride Alliance hosted its first monthly Erie Queer Happy Hour at Oasis Tiki Bar, 3122 W Lake Rd, Erie, PA, on Wednesday, March 1. The next Erie Queer Happy Hour will be Wednesday, April 5, at UPick 6 Publix House, 4575 W Ridge Rd, Erie PA. More info for future events is on NWPAPride.org.

Join the Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers Of Pittsburgh Co-Op & The House of Manna on March 20, 2023, from 6 - 8 p.m. at 7420 Frankstown Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, for the groundbreaking ceremony of Freedom Foods Grocer.

PENNCREST school board director Jeff Brooks has decided not to run for re-election. The insults, accusations and debased behavior from those who oppose his positions apparently took their toll. Brooks made clear, however, that he is not going away.

After a hiatus due to the pandemic, Penn State Behrend's LGBTQIA+ student group, GASE, is excited to bring back their drag show on April 14 following their week of programming. See the performances in McGarvey Commons in the Reed Union Building from 7 to 9 PM. The theme of this year's drag show is floral/spring and will feature Lola LeCroix and four other performers. GASE will be serving mocktails during the show.

In addition to events listed in the Erie Gay News calendar, Journey to a Trauma Informed Life, 201 W 11th St, Erie PA, is currently taking sign ups for LGBTQ+ Affirming classes, sessions and groups.

Looking for a warm and friendly place for new and used books? Try Werner Books, 3514 Liberty Street, Erie, PA 16508, in the Liberty Plaza. I talked with Kyle Churman, who, along with his wife, Lauren Shoemaker, purchased Werner Books in March of 2022. They wanted to create a community space in Erie where anyone could come in and feel comfortable. They have added three book clubs to the already existing Wednesday Morning Book Club, which meets at Warner Books, offering a discount to members on the chosen books. Added were the Canalside Book Club, which meets at the Hagan History Center, the Books, and Beers Book Club, which meets at Erie Ale Works, and the Three Tulips Yarn Company Books Club, which meets at Werner Books. A fifth book club, the Aging with Pride Book Club, will begin meeting in May at Werner Books. For more information on these book clubs and other events, visit their website at www.wernerbooks.com.

Erie Sisters and Brothers hosted the annual Cabin Fever on  February 24-26, 2023, at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel and the host hotel's Bayfront Grille in Erie, PA. Another excellent turnout made this event very successful. Unlike the Lake Erie Gala, which is held annually in November, this event is just a time for members of the LGBTQ+ community to gather and socialize. A few took this opportunity to explore the local Erie area.

For the third year in a row, the LGBTQ+ Coalition of Ashtabula County will hold a Pride event on June 3rd at the county fairgrounds in Jefferson, OH. The family-friendly event will be held from 11:00-5:00 that day, rain or shine. There will be a variety of food trucks, vendors, a bookmobile, community organizations, and various performances for kids and adults throughout the day. Admission is free. The Ashtabula county fairgrounds are located at 127 N Elm St, Jefferson, OH.

The City of Erie Fire Department is hiring law enforcement personnel. Applications are being accepted from April 18-29, 2023. Applicants must meet certain requirements to become a City of Erie Firefighter. All qualifications are set by the City of Erie Civil Service Board. For a list of all qualification requirements, visit: efd.erie.pa.us/qualify

The City of Erie Police Department is hiring law enforcement personnel. Applications are being accepted from April 3, 2023 to June 30, 2023. Nearly 170 years of tradition set the Erie Police Department apart. Hiring its first African-American officer in 1904, and Pennsylvania's first female officer in 1916, EPD has consistently been ahead of its time. We are committed to diversity. We value our veterans. We serve the community first. Our training prepares us, but integrity determines how we respond. We are one team. We are called to serve and sworn to protect.  And in everything we do-we'll have your back. Join a new generation of policing.

On February 19th, Compton's Table hosted their Sweet Re-Lease fundraising event. The organization opened their doors to showcase the new space located next to Central Outreach. All funds raised went directly back into the programming and services offered at Compton's Table for queer youth between 21-24 yrs old. The primary sponsors for the event were Moxi Hair Salon, Central Outreach, and VooDoo Brewery. Attendees enjoyed a performance by Optimistic Apocalypse as they supported the mission of Compton's Table. Founder and Board Chair, Dr. Tyler Titus (they/them), said, "We are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from the community. We could not do the work we do without those who contribute to Compton's so that we can create a safe, affirming space for our youth and young adults." Learn more at www.comptonstable.org

NWPA Pride Alliance is proud to host Erie's first-ever Queer Adult Prom on Saturday, May 6 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center Garden Atrium and Terrace. The Prom will begin at 7 PM and conclude at 10 pm. This event is open to anyone 18 years of age and older. Appetizers and cash bar (21+ only) will be available. Music will be provided by DJ Dave Rapp. For the safety of those in attendance, security has been hired.