Thousands celebrate downtown at 2022 Akron Pride Festival, Equity March

The 2022 Akron Pride Festival kicked off with the Akron Equity March, starting near Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Akron and proceeding to Lock 3, the center of the festival.

The march is held in support of the LGBTQ+ community and to demonstrate Akron and Summit County’s pursuit of equality and equity for all.

Akron Pride Festival:What you need to know about this weekend's Akron Pride Festival

Multiple events took place at the festival, including performances by Natasshja Norielle, 2022 Drag Artist of the Year winner. Music played on three stages, with activities at Lock 3, Cascade Plaza and the Akron-Summit County Public Library.

A fireworks show sponsored by the Downtown Akron Partnership and the Knight Foundation was scheduled to conclude Saturday’s festival.

Crowds gather to show support for LGBTQ+ community in Akron

Hundreds of people gathered in the Spaghetti Warehouse parking lot with thousands more lining South Main Street and Lock 3, where the main events took place. Many people carried rainbow flags or wore T-shirts supporting the LGBTQ community.

Sheryl Blanchard, a member of Harmony Springs Christian Church in Green, wore a shirt that read “I support the separation of church and hate.”

Blanchard said the church is supportive of the LGBTQ community.

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“Our church is all about being inclusive,” Blanchard said. “Jesus sets the table for everybody.”

Greg Blanchard of Uniontown said the Blanchard family has traveled far and wide to show support.

“We’ve gone as a couple and family to support pride events all over the country,” Greg Blanchard said. “It gives us an opportunity to be in a place where we can support.”

Kristen Clark of Medina, an employee of Project Learn of Summit County, was ready to celebrate the day.

“It’s nice to see everybody come together to be supported,” Clark said. “We have a very supportive community.”

Akron Pride Festival is an emotional experience for trans woman

Barbara Marie Minney of Tallmadge made the transition after 41 years of marriage.

“I’ve transitioned to being a trans woman,” Minney said.

Minney attended the 2021 event and found it an emotional experience.

“Last year, I cried,” Minney said. “It was the first time we marched in the parade.”

Minney wrote a poem about the experience that was published in the Pride Guide.

“The poem was about my experience in the parade,” Minney said. “I felt everyone was applauding me for the transition I made. That’s why it was so emotional to me.”

Alison Cross of North Canton said the festival is a place where the LGBTQ community can be supported.

“This is a safe space and a loving space, and Ohio’s becoming a dangerous place,” Cross said.

Cross talked about an Akron family with a child who wants to transition, but isn’t able to do so in Ohio.

“Because she’s a minor, she won’t be able to start her transition until she’s 18,” Cross said.

The family is trying to sell their home to move to New York, where health care coverage for transitioning is more readily available.

“Her parents, they’re tired,” Cross said. “They’re broken and discouraged.”

Cross fears that Ohio lawmakers will pass anti-trans legislation and wanted to be in Akron for the festival to show support.

“There was no way I wasn’t going to be here,” Cross said.

John A. MacDonald, 93, a retired University of Akron professor, said the Akron Symphony Chorus was inclusive during MacDonald's long tenure as director of the chorus.

“All I ask of them is: ‘Do you love to sing and are you willing to work as a team member?’” MacDonald said.

Akron Pride Festival supporters want LGBTQ community to know they're not alone

Mike Foster, faculty adviser for the Spectrum student group at Copley High School, said the organization has more than 100 members out of the 850-student school.

Foster said the festival is important for the LGBTQ community for the support it provides and for demonstrating inclusivity and the message it sends, that “they don’t have to be alone and that people love them for who they are.”

Vendors lined South Main Street near Lock 3 as the crowd grew for the day’s performances. As an announcer called from a Lock 3 stage, Andy Curtiss of Cleveland and David Kisha of Akron perused the crowd.

Curtiss, the Mr. R&J Leather Bear Pride representative, said the Akron festival was better organized than the Cleveland event. Curtiss was impressed by the way vendors and entertainers were set up at the event.

“I’m part of the leather contingency,” Curtiss said. “For me, it’s about representing. Events like this allow people to explore themselves.”

Kisha said the turnout was good. The Firestone Park resident planned to spend most of the day at the event.

“Look at the vendors, enjoy my time (and) have a good time,” Kisha said.

This year's Akron Pride Festival is 'Double the size and double the fun'

The event started in 2017 at Hardesty Park in the city’s Wallhaven neighborhood. More than 20,000 people participated in the 2019 Akron Pride Festival.

Pineapple Peruu was taking time to pose for selfies on Main Street with festival attendees who chased Peruu down for the photos.

“I was here last year,” Peruu said. “It’s double the size and double the fun.”

Peruu was scheduled to take part in two performances, co-hosting a 4 p.m. show and performing in a night show. Peruu started drag performances in 2019, was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and has had big success recently.

“I’ve gotten very popular very quickly,” Peruu said. “I’m having (more) people recognizing me.”

Peruu said full-time entertaining is a long-term goal.

“I like to see people’s faces light up when they see me,” Peruu said. “That’s why I chose the bathing suit.”

The entertainer said the Akron area is becoming more tolerant and accepting of the LGBTQ community.

“I would say we’re getting better,” Peruu said. “There’s a lot more venues welcoming us.”

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Thousands of attendees celebrate downtown at 2022 Akron Pride Festival