New Hope Pride Parade Off For 2nd Year Due To COVID

NEW HOPE, PA — New Hope's annual Pride Parade and Pride Fair will not be held for the second year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Usually held in May, the celebration was once again called off, at least in its traditional format, by New Hope Celebrates. Instead, the group is planning events that can be experienced safely in May and June.

In a news release, the New Hope Celebrates board said it is working on creating events to support the community and encourage LGBTQ+ people to "come out and celebrate who they are."

Events currently planned include the celebration's annual best-cocktail contest, the annual flag unfurling on May 8, several drag shows, a book club event, mental health events, a Pride bike ride, a Pride drive-in movie and more.

"Our community, like many others, has been affected by the pandemic and the NHC board does not feel it is safe to bring 5,000-10,000 people together at this time," the board said in the news release. "There are ways to celebrate Pride together while also supporting the local businesses, restaurants, bars, galleries and more."

The group noted that while Pennsylvania and New Jersey both have lifted some coronavirus restrictions, large gatherings like Pride remain off the table.

Details about events will be posted at the New Hope Celebrates website as they become available, the group said.

New Hope's Pride celebration is one of the area's largest. In 2020, organizers originally postponed the annual events held in May to October, before ultimately canceling as the pandemic continued.