Thousands attended the 2010 Pride Charlotte festival at the NC Music Factory on Saturday, Oct. 2. Organizers had changed the festival’s date from last year’s late-July to fall. They hoped cooler weather and the new location would please attendees. Their gamble might very well have paid off.
Community groups and businesses lined Hamilton St. and parts of the Music Factory property. Among them was Campus Pride, which brought its LGBT-Friendly College Fair to Charlotte. The group’s fair was the first ever held in the Southeast. A dozen schools from across North Carolina and the country attended, reaching out to prospective LGBT students. Other community vendors included churches, local and state advocacy groups, Pridewear retailers and government agencies like the Mecklenburg County Department of Health, which passed out safe sex awareness materials and free condoms.
About a dozen anti-gay protesters also attended the event. They held signs, preached and attempted to talk with Pride attendees. The protesters’ presence this year was considerably less vocal and dramatic than last. At Pride Charlotte 2009, a few hundred protesters held a “God Has a Better Way” rally after marching through downtown.
I attended this event and was pleased to see such a large attendance. There was a small pin being worn and I am hoping that someone will direct me to the source. It read (talk-action=0)
We had a great time at Pride this year and loved the new location. Everyone seemed to have a great time and enjoyed the various vendors and events that were offered. The only thing that I would even ask for is more of these types of events happening more often for our community throughout the year. Thanks to everyone involved.
I’d be curious as to the actual turnout estimate, more specific than “thousands.” Are we growing? Did we have a better turnout than the 16,000 reported in last year’s Charlotte Observer?
The NC Music Factory was an ideal venue. I am glad I attended as I have for the past several years, because I had the opportunity to speak with some Indian Hindus about why Hinduism does NOT condemn the LGBT community.
A great event.
The music factory is a great location but I still didn’t see people going into the Center. There needs to be something to draw people inside. A Big Arrow? Performer autographs? How many of those people actually knew where the Center was?
And how many other people couldn’t get to Pride because public transportation doesn’t go near the Music Factory? Next year, think about doing a shuttle from the transportation center or someplace uptown.