Since 2003, the town of New Hope, Pennsylvania has hosted an annual PrideFest that celebrates LGBTQ+ folks and their identities. The highlight of the day is a parade that begins in Lambertville, NJ and crosses over the Delaware River into New Hope, PA.
This year the parade featured both local and national marching bands, floats, nonprofit organizations, and thousands of individuals. With a record-breaking 7,500 attendees and nearly 900 registered Parade Marchers, 2019 marked the best-attended PrideFest in its 16-year history.
HiTOPS youth program participants and their families, Board, staff, and volunteers were there in celebration of equality, inclusion and pride. We marched 50-strong in the parade and engaged with hundreds of community members at the PrideFest community fair.
6ABC Action News was there and report on PrideFest. Their feature story, “Stories of Pride”, highlighted HiTOPS LGBTQ+ programming, and included interviews with three youth who participate in HiTOPS programs, about their experiences with HiTOPS and with their families.
Click on the link to see the exciting footage! LGBTQ+ young people find support in peer groups