Please share your experience and opinions by participating in the 17th Annual LGBTQ Community Survey. For over a decade, this survey has provided free data to help non-profits, universities, and organizations better understand and serve the LGBTQ community. The report will be published on the CMI.info website for free download on approximately August 15. Previous surveys have had over 45,000 participants from 150 countries! The survey should take 12 to 15 minutes to complete.

In 2010, several factors led to the creation of the Pride Planning Committee, which would become the NW PA Pride Alliance. Erie Gay Pride Inc, which had been the organizer of the local Pride from 2006 to 2009, reorganized as the Greater Erie Alliance for Equality and changed its focus. With there not being a Pride Fest for 2010, a group of volunteers got together on January 16, 2011, at the Plymouth Tavern to begin planning events for that year.

Celebrate LGBT pride with some Erie Gay News (EGN) merchandise from Whee Pride. For 30 years, Erie Gay News has worked to connect Erie citizens with the LGBT community. To celebrate and continue EGN's effort to serve the community, Whee Pride has created personalized merch!

NW PA Pride Alliance held their May Erie's Queer Happy Hour on May 3, 2023, at Oasis Pub and Tiki Bar,3122 W Lake Road, Erie, PA. The Erie Happy Hour is the first Wednesday of the month, and the June 7 Erie's Queer Happy Hour will be at U Pick 6 Harbor House, 4454 Buffalo Rd, Erie, PA. NW PA Pride Alliance also hosts Meadville Happy Hour on the fourth Wednesday of the month, alternating between Julian's Bar & Grill in odd-numbered months and Cussewago Creek Distillery in even-numbered months.

Thanks to 11 different Queer organizations, the Second Harvest Food Bank and those battling food insecurity will benefit from over $500.00 in food and monetary donations collected on Saturday, May 13, at Central Outreach Wellness Center, 3104 State St, Erie, PA.

Pridefest will take place this year on June 24th. We will gather on 11th St between Peach and French St from 11- 12 and step off to march to Perry Square at 12. Please note that this is a change in location from years past.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, but it is also the time of year that Harrisburg lawmakers focus on passing a budget and making other legislative deals before their summer recess. Those two traditions are meeting in an important way for LGBTQ+ rights this year.

Greater Erie Alliance for Equality (GEAE)'s Afternoon for Equality is a significant source of funding that helps empower GEAE to support the region's LGBTQ+ community and its allies through educational programs, social events, and service opportunities. These programs and events strengthen our voice, improve the quality of life in northwestern Pennsylvania, and propel us toward our mission to create a safe and welcoming community for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. This year's Afternoon for Equality is Sunday, June 4 from 5-9 PM at the Hagen History Center, 356 W 6th WSt, Erie PA, 16607. The event features an open bar with food, and music by the Stephen Trohoske Trio.

Aging with Pride seeks to serve local senior LGBTQ+ people with fun, enjoyable, and helpful programming. To help best understand the community's needs, we have launched a needs assessment survey. You can fill out the form online by browsing to bit.ly/agingwithpridesurvey, or you can alternatively download a PDF from our website at AgingWithPrideErie.org. We will also have copies of the survey at our table at area Pride events, including Pride Fest on June 24, Meadville Pride on July 29, and Erie Pride Picnic on August 12. Please help us get the word out, so we can do the best job of serving the community!

On Monday, May 15, 2023, the Erie County HIV Task Force held the 6th Annual HIV / AIDS Awareness Walk. The HIV / AIDS walk provides a reminder to the local community that making personal health a priority is everyone's right. This year's awareness walk was located at Perry Square in downtown Erie PA. Participants enjoyed educational materials, refreshments and testing opportunities via the PA Thrive Partnership mobile unit at the event. Awareness walk attendees also received complimentary gift bags of materials from the task force as well as event sponsors Adagio Health, Community HealthNet, the Erie County Department of Health, SafeNet, and the Northwest Pennsylvania Tobacco Coalition. Public Health Staff were on hand for participants to ask questions and receive additional information regarding services in the region. For more information on local services, testing, and free condom, visit the Erie County HIV Task Force at ECHIV.ORG or follow their Twitter account @EriePAHIV and like their Facebook page.

For peace and tranquility, visit Cauldron & Thorne, home of fine magical goods in Erie. I talked with owners Matt and Sonia Miller about this unique store. New to the area, they found a home not too far from Erie, but soon found that they had to drive 3-4 hours to find metaphysical items. They decided to take a chance and open a metaphysical store in Erie. Coming in with no preconceived notions, they wanted to open a happy place, a sanctuary, expecting all visitors to leave their prejudices at the door. They went from concept to opening in just 28 days, opening in October 2021. The following April, they expanded to the adjacent building, providing more space for activities.

Aging with Pride, an organization of senior LGBT+ members and allies, is hosting a kickoff event on Thursday, June 8 from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Oasis Pub, 3122 West Lake Road.  This organization develops and sponsors social/recreational and educational events to promote healthy leisure activities, community and an active, enjoyable lifestyle.  They are sponsoring this social hour (OK, social two hours) to interact with members of the community and to get a sense of the types of activities that are of interest to senior LGBT+ individuals.  Possible future events include a book club, movies, card and game times, group excursions to surrounding areas, coffeehouse get togethers, wine/beet tastings, and picnics, among others.  For more information about Aging with Pride, visit their website at AgingWithPrideErie.org, or email Dale Allgeier at DaleAllgeier@outlook.com.  And please plan on attending the June 8 kickoff event!

Plans for the 3rd annual Ashtabula County Pride festival are underway and getting exciting. Last year over 2000 people showed up to celebrate diversity. This year Pride will be held June 3rd from 11:00-5:00 at the Ashtabula County fairgrounds in Jefferson, OH. Admission is free for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, their friends, family and allies. The family-friendly event will have food trucks, vendors, crafts, community services representatives, live music and entertainment by local talent, dance parties, free medical testing, the Bookmobile, activities for kids, representatives from local churches, and a basket raffle.

Aging with Pride, an organization of senior LGBT+ members and allies, has partnered with Whee! Studios to provide Aging with Pride t-shirts, hoodies, and tank tops.  Part of the proceeds from these sales will be used for Aging with Pride activities and events.  To see what's available and to place an order, visit wheepride.shop/collections/aging-with-pride.  For more information about Aging with Pride, visit their website at AgingWithPrideErie.org.  Look your best as you age with pride!

NW PA Pride Alliance will host Pridefest this year on June 24. We will gather at 11th and State Street (NOTE! NEW LOCATION!), 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. Please note that we have sold out of tables, and any new table requests will be on a waiting list.

Check out the many Pride events in our region!

Pittsburgh, PA | Wednesday, May 31, 2023 - Dreams of Hope: Queer Youth Arts is celebrating 20 years of service to Pittsburgh's LGBTQA+ youth with the premier of our first theatrical production since 2019-a show produced by youth participants in theatriQ, our signature performing arts program.

The University of Pittsburgh's Center for Creativity facilitates a FREE virtual creative writing workshop for LGBTQ "elders" (ages 50+) geared specifically toward those with little or no previous writing experience. Erik Schuckers facilitates the group. Register online at pi.tt/ioow23

Gay Guy/Girl Happy Hour (G2H2) held their monthly social hour on Friday, May 5, 2023, at Perry's Tavern, located at the Erie Food Hall, 508 State Street, Erie, PA. G2H2 meets on the first Friday of each month from 6-8 PM at local establishments. The group is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/54742829807

May 1, 2023 - Erie, Pennsylvania - The Eerie Horror Fest has announced that Italian prog-rock band Claudio Simonetti's Goblin will be performing at the Warner Theatre on October 7th, 2023 at 9 p.m. Fans of the genre will likely recognize the band's name from the beloved films they have scored, starting nearly 50 years ago. Their performance is slated to be "a best-of set including scores from Suspiria, Demons, Dawn of the Dead, Deep Red, and more!"

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.

Every June, all eyes turn toward the LGBTQIA+ community. Corporations change their branding to incorporate rainbows as queer people march, demonstrate, and party in celebration of our community. We Dream A World where that celebration does not end on June 30th and where we find the "Courage To Be Who We Are."