By Chris Johnson
Jun. 27, 2008
Only about a half dozen protesters made an appearance at a new Pride event in Lancaster, Pa., despite a religious group’s promise to disrupt the event.
In contrast to the handful of protesters from Repent America, about 1,900 attendees came to participate in the Pride festivities, which took place Sunday.
Mark Stoner, who is on the Lancaster Pride steering committee, said turnout exceeded expectations of organizers.
“We’ve been getting e-mails and stuff from vendors who participated that just said it was really well done,” Stoner said.
Organizers wanted to set up annual Pride events in Lancaster “to acknowledge the contributions that gays and lesbians have made to the community,” Stoner said. He noted that Charles Demuth, a painter in the early modern period, was gay and lived in Lancaster.
A parade was not part of the Pride celebration, only a festival. Stoner said there are no plans to add a parade in future years.
Stoner was particularly pleased that younger gays from the area participated. Many told him they had not attended such an event before.
“I almost get emotional because that’s where you really feel like you’re having an effect on people’s lives,” he said.
Despite hostility from Repent America, local religious groups reacted favorably to Lancaster Pride and cooperated in some events. The Unitarian Universalist church held an interfaith service in conjunction with Pride on June 19.
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