Pride in the Park is celebrating the 47th year of Salem Pride on Saturday, continuing its trend of growth with a record number of food vendors and performances.
“It’s a great opportunity for a lot of people to support other queer people and to just come together and feel welcome and wanted,” said Salem Capital Pride President Zachery Cardoso.
Salem Capital Pride puts on the event each year. They first took the festivities to Mill Race Park in August 2001, according to a Statesman Journal article from the time. That event saw 150 people.
Last year’s Pride in the Park drew in thousands more than the year before, according to Cardoso. He said a record number of booths, activities and services attracted the larger crowd.
Pride in the Park is held in September, instead of Pride Month in June, because it’s a less busy time for vendors and performers.
“With our mission, it’s Pride all the time,” Cardoso said. “We’re queer all the time, so we should have pride all the time. So we try to celebrate throughout the entire year.”
Salem Capital Pride hosts year-round activities including craft nights, potlucks, hikes and other fitness outings. They also do an annual parade during Pride Month.
The first recorded Salem LGBTQ+ Pride event was in a June 1978 march with nine participants, according to a Statesman Journal article from the following year. Saturday’s celebration is at Riverfront Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is free to attend.
The event expanded again this year with more food options, more live entertainment and new public transportation options. Cardoso expects around 9,000 attendees, similar to last year.
There will be face painting, free hugs from moms and dads, drag performers, art and good food.
Over 200 vendors selling art, jewelry, candy and other products will line the walkways on Saturday. Several booths will also provide resources and services related to legal aid, health care and family support.
“There’s a ton of resources for the queer community in Salem or in the surrounding areas, but many people don’t know that they exist, and being able to share those and inform other people of what’s around is great,” Cardoso said.
The biggest food court in the history of the event will include Salvadoran, Mexican, American and Chamorro cuisines, as well as ice cream, snowcones, lemonade, coffee and other sweets.
Guests can enjoy alcoholic drinks in the alcohol garden, with local vendors serving mixed drinks.
On the Gerry Frank Amphitheatre stage, drag performers, dancers and musicians from various genres will entertain the crowd throughout the day. And at 3:15 p.m., attendees can enter their rainbow-clad furry friends in the Best Dressed Pet Contest for the chance to win a pet-friendly prize.
A new Pride-themed Cherriots bus will offer free transport between three stops: the transit center, the Marion parkade and Front Street near the entrance to the park. The temporary bus stops will be marked with balloons and signage.
Have a news tip? Contact reporter Hailey Cook: [email protected] or (208) 515-4097.
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Hailey Cook is an intern at the Salem Reporter through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism. She works as a photojournalist and reporter, with a focus on public health and policy, among other topics.