Montclair Pride Festival returns after summer postponements
The festival, organized by Out Montclair, took place at Lackawanna Station on National Coming Out Day.
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The fifth annual Montclair Pride Festival returned Sunday after being postponed twice over the summer, with rain failing to stop people from coming out to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Out Montclair organized the festival that took place at Lackawanna Station on National Coming Out Day. Attendees wore ponchos and carried umbrellas as they enjoyed music, performances and activities throughout the event.
While the weather appeared to contribute to a smaller crowd than in previous years, people still showed up to support the LGBTQ+ community and celebrate visibility, acceptance and inclusion.
RELATED: Montclair Pride organizers hope third time's the charm with Sunday's twice-rescheduled festival
“Visibility is extremely important. We need to be seen and heard and loudly,” said attendee, Colin Smith. “And coming out in the rain is the least we owe the movement, you know, considering what everyone else has endured.”
For many, the festival offered an opportunity to connect with others and create a sense of belonging.
“It’s nice to come to events like this and see everyone around you and know that they’re such kindhearted people that come from the same background as you, and everyone has such a unique story,” another attendee said.
The event also brought together local vendors to give small businesses like Lulu’s Artisanal Lemonade an opportunity to reach new customers and connect with the community.
"It's great exposure. I've gotten a lot of my customers through festivals specifically because it's a large audience," said Lucienne Coppedge, of Lulu’s Artisanal Lemonade.
Organizers had postponed the festival twice over the summer because of financial challenges following the loss of sponsors, as well as staffing shortages.
Despite the weather, attendees said the festival remains an important space to celebrate pride, love and acceptance.
