Franklin County Pride Festival Held at Wilson College

By Samantha Cantrell

On October 9, 2022, Pride Franklin County, run by the Franklin County Coalition for Progress, returned for its third community festival. This year’s event was held at Wilson College.

The 2022 Pride Festival marked their return to in-person festivities after COVID-19 restrictions put a temporary halt to major events.

From 11 AM-5 PM, attendees visited booths run by local businesses, organizations, and artists. Many organizations provided information for local LGBTQ+ resources, including support groups and mental health associations, voting and political action groups, LGBTQ+ friendly churches, and more.

The event also featured several entertainment spaces for local musicians and theater performances. All performances were designed to be family-friendly and brought in visitors of all ages.

The main draws of the day, however, were the drag shows, which took place on the main stage in various installments throughout the event. With an extensive list of performers from south central Pennsylvania, the queens ensured that the crowd remained entertained throughout the day.

This year’s celebration was especially meaningful to many attendees after the Chambersburg Borough Council’s recent decision to repeal a non-discrimination ordinance that banned discrimination based on gender identity, sexuality, religion, and other factors.

One attendee, who requested to remain anonymous, says that “Pride has always been about love and acceptance, which is more important than ever to remind us that no matter what we feel, we aren’t alone.”

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