The weekend of June 25 will see the first Rock Hill, South Carolina Pride Festival in history. Located in the Charlotte Metro region, festivities kick off with a “Show Your Pride” karaoke night on June 24 at the Tattooed Brew. This leads to the “Allies in the Alley Cocktail Party” at The Mercantile.
The festival is scheduled to coincide with the fifty-second anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, in an effort to pay tribute to that significant date in LGBTQ history. On the official Rock Hill Pride Facebook page, the organization happily boasts that what started out as a small “Pride Market” is now a full on festival that will require police, EMT, table and chair rentals, a website, marketing, and a staff to plan the events and keep up with sponsorships.
Additional information on the Facebook page confirms the business Copper Dwelling + Design Mercantile HQ, a Rock Hill-based home goods shop, is accepting pride-related funds on behalf of Rock Hill Pride. One of the main goals of Rock Hill Pride is to raise money for Campus Pride’s Mini Social Justice Grants, but, without being classified as a 501c3 nonprofit, Rock Hill Pride funds cannot be donated without the Mercantile’s aid.
Along with karaoke and cocktails, this pride festival will include a Mr. and Mrs. Rock Hill Pride Pageant, live outdoor music, a disco-themed show and two drag brunches. On June 26, Rock Hill Pride is hosting a “Baking with Pride Workshop” that allows participants to learn to make and decorate a rainbow-themed cake. Also on June 26, a “Pride Themed Brush Calligraphy Workshop” will be led by expert Ida Mae for those wanting to work on their colorful personal writing style. To sign up for any of these events, go to bit.ly/3gwsKxF. For updates on Rock Hill Pride 2021, visit facebook.com/RockHillPride.
Join us: This story is made possible with the help of qnotes’ contributors. If you’d like to show your support so qnotes can provide more news, features and opinion pieces like this, give a regular or one-time donation today.