Inaugural Passaic Co. Pride Fest Cancelled, Organizers Say

WAYNE, NJ — The first county-wide celebration for LGBTQ Pride Month in Passaic has been cancelled, with organizers citing "circumstances beyond our control."

The Pride Alliance of Passaic County was spearheading Pride Fest 2024, set for June 22 on the campus of William Paterson University in Wayne.

The organization had unanimously decided to withdraw from the festival on June 9, PAPC confirmed to Patch. The recently-formed volunteer group noted that this "was not a decision we took lightly," again citing circumstances beyond their control.

In their own statement last week, Passaic County said that "organizing such a significant event involves many moving parts," and that those involved "have mutually agreed that canceling this year’s event is the best course of action."

Special guests planned for the festival included three New Jersey natives: Drag performer Harmonica Sunbeam, actor and musician Robert Bannon, and Tony Ardolino, who won the Mr. Gay World USA pageant in 2022.

The Pride Alliance of Passaic County said it is already planning for next year's celebration, called "Pride is Alive in 2025," and thanked people for their support and kind words.

"This decision was not easy to make, nor was it a decision we wanted to make; however, as stated, due to circumstances beyond our control, we needed to make this difficult decision that would best align with our focus of PRIDE," the PAPC stated on their website.

The location for the 2025 festival will be determined in the next several weeks, the group said.