Isolated No More, Morris County To Get Together For Pride

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Two years ago, organizers began planning a Morris County Pride festival for 2020. You know what happened next.

Because of the pandemic, attendees of the first Morris County Pride had to adapt. So the first celebration featured an online event and a drive-in drag show. But after years of planning and time apart, Morris County Pride finally get to how it wanted to celebrate all along.

June 26's event will feature performers, vendors, food trucks and, once again, drag from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Morris Museum (6 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown). The event already sold out, but people interested can wait outside if space becomes available.

"(The drive-in show) was a huge success," said Cara Parmigiani, founding co-chair of Morris Couty Pride. "People seemed to really enjoy themselves, so we’re glad to have accomplished that. So we’re back into our festival format this year and hopefully ongoing."

Parmigiani was born and raised in Morris County. She faced challenges growing up, including bullying, so LGBTQ visibility in the area became important to her.

Although she's seen progress for the LGBTQ community in the county and throughout, Parmigiani says there's still work to do.

"We’re doing a good job advocating for our rights, but our rights are always hanging on by a thread," Parmigiani said. "At any point in time, the Supreme Court can make a decision. And it’s really hard if we’re not continuously advocating and if folks aren’t continuously advocating on our behalf."

The pandemic has been universally difficult, but especially tough on the LGBTQ community, according to polling. Fixty-six percent of LGBTQ people said they experienced job loss, furloughs or an income reduction, compared to 44 percent of those outside of the LGBTQ community, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

The same analysis found LGBTQ people were more likely to suffer negative impacts on their mental health during the pandemic (74 percent to 49 percent).

Parmigiani and Sean Dorsa — special events coordinator at the EDGE Pride Center in Morris County — founded the local pride celebration for more than a fun day. They also wanted to show help is available. EDGE, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, will offer resources at the event.

The all-volunteer planning committee has a busy last few weeks putting everything together. But on April 21, they saw each other in person for the first time in more than a year. That sense of community will only amplify at the Pride festival.

"I know COVID is socially isolating," Parmigiani said, "but we want people to know they're not alone."

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