‘Nine days of splendor.’ Macon Pride expands to more than a week of events, shows
From a one day celebration in 2019, Macon Pride further expands to nine days of events to celebrate Macon’s LGBT community.
“There’s still such hatred and bigotry surrounding people that just want to live their life,” said Scott Mitchell, the president of Macon Pride. “It seems this year that we’re being attacked on every side, and it makes me really sad. It makes it even more necessary to have things like Macon Pride so people know that they can be themselves, and there are people out here who love and appreciate you.”
The more than a week long of events will start off with the Mx Macon Pride Pageant on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. and end with Macon Pride’s traditional Family Picnic and Worship at Coleman Hill on Oct. 1.
Mx Macon Pride Pageant: Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at JBA 425 Cherry St.
Macon it OUT to the Movies screening “Rent”: Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. at The Douglass Theatre
Rainbow Table Talk: Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Fall Line Brewing Co.
Lively Libations Social: Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. at Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen
Broadway Does Pride: Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at The Grand Opera House
Karaoke in the Park: Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. at Third Street Park
Haus Party Featuring Mistress Isabelle Brooks: Sept. 29 starting with a VIP Meet and Greet at 7 p.m. at Capitol Theatre
Pride in the Park: Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. at Third Street Park
Family Picnic and Worship at Coleman Hill: Oct. 1 at 12 p.m. at Coleman Hill Park
The Macon Pride celebration, started in 2019, is continuing for its fourth year due to its cancellation in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mitchell said. The original festival in 2019 was actually planned for 2020, but after the murders of trans and gay people, Mitchell and his partners decided to move up the timeline to a 2019 event.
At Pride in the Park, Macon Pride’s most well-attended event, there will be two stages this year. One stage will have three musical acts, and the other will feature drag, comedians and speakers, Mitchell said.
“Come out and support us and just show your love and unity for this day. It’s a day for all people to really just show your love and support for the LGBT community but also for all of our allies,” Mitchell said.
DeMarcus Beckham, one of the founders of Macon Pride, referred to the event “nine days of splendor.” Beckham said people flock to Macon to experience the Macon Pride festival and Macon Pride events that are held throughout the year.
Macon has changed a lot since the 1980s and 1990s when it had several LGBT-friendly bars and clubs as well as a very present LGBT community, Beckham said.
“We may not have that community, the golden years they would say, but we have our own brand of pride, and it’s layered with diversity and equity and inclusion for all meaning our allies as well,” he said. “I think recognition and visibility is important. Visibility is important knowing that there’s people like us in different spaces.”
Macon Pride is a community based and community funded event, which separates it from other pride events in the state, Beckham said.
During Macon Pride, they always celebrate the pioneers of the LGBT movement, and this year they will be inducting three new members in their photo history exhibit, which will be announced on the night of Broadway Does Pride, Beckham said.
The Middle Georgia Pride community lost a valuable member recently when Ray Robert Grissett, also known as the drag queen Tangerine Summers, passed away. Mitchell said they would honor Grissett throughout Pride Week, but they have not decided officially what they plan to do.
“Pride is recognizing where we have been, where we are and where we’re gonna go,” Beckham said. “It’s its own brand of special, and I’m just so happy to be a part of it.”
