7th Annual Chesapeake Pride Festival Coming Saturday

The Chesapeake Pride Planning Committee is seeking volunteers ahead of the 7th annual Pride Festival taking place Saturday at in Edgewater.

Those running the event are inviting the community out from noon to 6 p.m. to enjoy food, music, beverages and live entertainment in a special gathering to promote “awareness” and “understanding” for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

“Our mission is to foster an understanding of the LGBT community in the general population by raising awareness through education and an annual festival to ultimately achieve unity and harmony,” according to the Chesapeake Pride Festival’s website. “We celebrate diversity, civil liberties and rights for all.”

This year’s event will be the fourth time the festival is held at Mayo Beach Park, and will include swimming, lounging on the beach and even an indoor drag show, officials told Patch.

Those who want to volunteer at the event and assist the eight committee members can sign up online by visiting the festival’s website.

The festival is the only gay pride event of its kind in Anne Arundel, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties, according to the event website.

“The beautiful thing about this event is it brings people from the community and the people of the community into a neutral pace to just have fun for a day in a beautiful setting, forget about politics and just have a good time together," said John Petrosillo, PR and advertising chair for the Chesapeake Pride Festival. 

Will you be attending the Chesapeake Pride Festival on Saturday?