Pride in Vermont: how it's evolved and what to expect this month

Kate O'Farrell, Burlington Free Press
·3 min read

June brings Pride celebrations in Vermont, and there are an abundance of ways to learn about, support, and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in the state. Vermont has a rich history of LGBTQ+ pride activism and celebrations, from the first Pride parade in 1983 to paving the way for same-sex marriage legislation.

Vermont is continuing its tradition of pride celebrations throughout June and beyond this year, with parades, festivals, educational events, and more.

Evolution of Pride in VT

Vermont held its first Pride March on June 25, 1983, exactly 14 years after the Stonewall Riots of New York City. Prior to this, the queer community in Vermont had to travel outside of the state to celebrate pride, or create places within Vermont to put down their own roots.

Andrews Inn, a famous gathering place for LGBTQ+ people in Bellows Falls, around 1980.
Andrews Inn, a famous gathering place for LGBTQ+ people in Bellows Falls, around 1980.

For a long time in the state, pride celebrations and gatherings were held in discreet ways in order to maintain the safety of those involved, and Vermonters found ways to celebrate their identity in places such as Andrews Inn, a famous gathering spot for the LGBTQ+ community in Bellows Falls.

Andrews Inn was a meeting place for both rural LGBTQ+ people, as well as a convenient location for those traveling from Boston and Montreal.

Michael Gigante, speaking in part with the Andrews Inn Oral History Project, said this about the importance of the establishment in the 1970s and 1980s to Vermonters and beyond: "Oh, so much joy, because it was a place where an oppressed group of people could come and just let loose."

The Inn closed in 1984.

In the 1970s, the queer community in Vermont was publishing two publications, Gay in Vermont, which began in 1972, and Common Woman, which began in 1978, according to the Vermont Folk Life Center.

In 2009, Vermont was the first state in the union to legalize same-sex civil unions, paving the way for further progress, and providing more rights and visibility to the LGBTQ+ community of Vermont.

Vermont held its first Pride March on June 25, 1983.
Vermont held its first Pride March on June 25, 1983.

How to celebrate this year

Pride celebrations in Vermont are already underway, but there's still plenty of times and ways to celebrate. The Pride Center of Vermont has a calendar of events for June that include everything from hikes, to potlucks, to RainbowFest.

RainbowFest, a weekend-long celebration in Fairlee, is marketed as an "Alternative Vermont Pride Event" by the Pride Center of Vermont, in conjunction with Vermont Be True, Outermost Yoga, and the Milldale Farm Center.

The festival will be held from June 22-24 and centers on connecting with nature and fostering wellness. Cost of the festival begins at $100 and 15% of all proceeds will go towards LGBTQ+ activism.

A float at the 2019 Burlington Pride Parade, making its way down Church Street.
A float at the 2019 Burlington Pride Parade, making its way down Church Street.

One of Vermont's biggest pride celebrations, Burlington Pride, won't be held until September of this year. The parade will make its way through the city on Sept. 18, starting on Church Street and concluding at Battery Park, where a festival will be held. Both events are free and will include performances, food, and more, according to the Pride Center of Vermont.

To access pride resources, education, and for a full schedule of events around the state, visit https://www.pridecentervt.org/ or call (802)860-7812.

Kate O'Farrell is a reporter for the Burlington Free Press. You can reach her at KOFarrell@freepressmedia.com. 

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: History of LGBTQ+ Pride celebration in Vermont