For the first time the Annual New Hope Celebrates Gay Pride Parade will kick off in Lambertville, New Jersey before marching across the Delaware River into New Hope Pennsylvania. The theme “Bridge to Equality” will highlight the fight for marriage equality across the country.
The parade will begin at Lambertville City Hall where some of New Jersey’s first same-sex marriages were performed in October and then will wind through Lambertville to The Lambertville House on Bridge Street where the parade will pause as Lambertville Mayor David DelVecchio performs a same-sex marriage.
The parade will then continue on Bridge Street and will pause again on the bridge at the state line. Here New Hope Mayor Larry Keller and other Pennsylvania politicians will join the marriage float as the parade continues into Pennsylvania. Organizewrs say this will symbolize bringing marriage equality to Pennsylvania.
Special guests Victoria Lace and the honorable Mayor Keller will serve as MCs for the parade at the new location of the review stand on South Main Street in New Hope PA.
Suggested viewing points:
Watch the parade from excellent viewing points at The Lambertville House, The New Hope Lambertville Bridge, Karla’s, John & Peter’s, Havana and Fran’s Pub.
The Parade begins at 11:30am in Lambertville NJ and will conclude at approximately 1pm in New Hope PA. Following the parade will be the much anticipated Vendor Fair and Block Party with special guests Trisha Dasch, Christine Martucci, Dario, Josh Zuckerman & Kristine W. performing in the Bucks County Playhouse parking lot. Later that evening end the night with a Gay Pride dance party at the Raven Bar and Restaurant.
“The Board is very excited about the parade route change for 2014 and the opportunity to continue to highlight marriage equality as a key issue that will be before PA courts later this year ” says NHC President Sharon Fronabarger. “Pennsylvania remains the only state in the Northeast that has yet to pass marriage equality. Our goal is to send a clear message to PA that all loving couples should have the freedom to marry. NHC is not a political organization, but we feel it is important to educate the public on issues relevant to the LGBT community and to support issues focused on equality and diversity.”
For more information on New Hope Pride which is taking place May 11th through 18th, please visit the New Hope Celebrates website at www.newhopecelebrates.com where you can download the New Hope Pride event app, or pick up the New Hope Celebrates Pride Guide at several local businesses and the Bucks County Visitors Center at the New Hope Chamber Office.
