Pride month might be half over, but that doesn’t mean that Pride celebrations and events are done. Niagara Pride, Inc. is currently hosting an online Pride Art Auction as a fundraiser and will be hosting an unveiling of the new Rainbow Garden.
During Niagara Pride’s WNY Shopping With Pride, held earlier in June 2021, local artist James Konidis (owner of James.Kreate in Buffalo) created a one-of-a-kind Pride art piece which he donated to Niagara Pride to help raise funds for the organization. This piece, a resin treated window with a Pride motif, along with another of his framed prints, are part of the online PRIDE Art Auction being hosted by Niagara Pride. Several other donated pieces, including photographs, paintings, and prints are also available for bid. The auction runs until 9:00PM EST on June 19, 2021 and can be accessed at https://www.32auctions.com/niagaraprideartauction. Proceeds from the auction will go to help fund 2021 and 2022 Niagara Pride community programming.
On Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 2:00PM in Oppenheim Park (Shelter 4), Niagara Pride will be sponsoring an LGBTQ+ Affirming Interfaith Service. Often LGBTQ+ individuals have had negative interactions with various religions. This event is an opportunity to participate in an affirming service and learn more about the various LGBTQ+ accepting faiths. Participants will include Rev. Susan Frawley (Unitarian Universalist), Rev. Michael Keicher (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), Rev. Patrick Bradley (Episcopalian), Rev. Laura Norris-Buisch (Presbyterian) and Monk D. Wilkes Alexander (Buddhist). Each of the clergy will read an inspirational work, including scripture, that is meaningful to their religious tradition, and offer prayers and blessings to the attendees and the LGBTQ+ community. After the service, clergy will be available to discuss their religious perspective with those who attend and explain more about their religion. Oppenheim Park is located at 2697 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY. The event is open to all. Dress will be casual and people are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
Finally, Niagara Pride is thrilled to announce the unveiling of the newly created LGBTQ+ Rainbow Garden in Niagara Falls, NY. The garden space will serve as a way of honoring all the LGBTQ+ individuals and families throughout Niagara County, NY and will be a reminder that the LGBTQ+ community is another integral thread in the rich and diverse tapestry that is the Niagara County. Power City Eatery has donated the use of their garden space for this project. Volunteers broke ground and began planting on June 5, 2021. The unveiling ceremony, being held on at 1:00PM on June 28, 2021 will be an opportunity to meet representatives from Niagara Pride and Power City Eatery.
Niagara Pride encourages folks to stop by the garden and take pictures and/or selfies. They also encourage visitors to go to Old Falls Street, which will be decorated in rainbow banners, to check out the “Let’s Fall in Love Mural” and stay for the illumination of Niagara Falls in the Rainbow Pride colors that same evening starting at 9pm. The Falls will be lit up 3 times that evening for 15 minutes at a time at 9:00PM, 10:00PM, and 11:00PM. June 28 marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the events scheduled for this day pay tribute to the birth of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
For more information about Niagara Pride or any of the aforementioned event, please visit their website at www.niagarapride.org or email Niagara Pride at info@niagarapride.org or call (716) 298-7656.
