A look back at Flint Pride — a fabulous festival celebrating its 9th year

FLINT, Michigan—The 9th annual Flint Pride festival packed Riverfront Park in downtown Flint on Saturday, June 22 with 24 acts that extended late into the night with ballads, drag performances, and other tunes. 

"I like the idea that we just kind of celebrate who we are and we're happy about it,” said attendee Jessica Myers, 25. “The whole point of Pride is to like, to be proud of yourself even though society has a history of trying to shame you for that."

The event also featured shaded areas with vendor and resource tables, including information from Planned Parenthood and the Flint Registry as well as free HIV testing offered by Wellness Services, the core host of the event.

Check out what some of those who attended this year’s Pride in the Park had to say about the festivities.
Drag performer Carmen Cruz struts across the stage in Riverbank Park.











"I'm inspired. I'm an elder god, have many children," Delmarko Pettis, 45, said. "I've been around the block: I still get it. My kids understand this is real talk from gay Pride 2019."
"I like the idea that we just kind of celebrate who we are and we're happy about it," Jessica Myers, 25, said. "The whole point of Pride is to like, to be proud of yourself even though society has a history of trying to shame you for that.""I believe pride is the place where you are free to be whoever you want to be and who you want to display yourself as," said Marcus Williams, 23, whose stage name is Marz. "This is the place where it's normal."
"Honestly, I'm just happy we have it and we have the support — and that people come out and want to have a good time," Dewayne Haneline,19, said."I'm way more confident here than I am anywhere else in life," said Harper Neil, 18 (left). Harlie Wisenbraugh, 18, said: "It's like a place of acceptance. It's really nice to know that everyone is on the same page."