TriPride

TriPride is an annual LGBTQ parade and festival rotating between the cities of the Tri-Cities region in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia: Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, Tennessee/Bristol, Virginia.

TriPride
StatusActive
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Tri-Cities, Tennessee
InauguratedSeptember 15, 2018 (2018-09-15)
Organised byTriPride TN, Inc.
Websitewww.tripridetn.org

History

2018

The first festival was held in September 15, 2018 at Founders Park in Johnson City.[1] Over 10,000 people were in attendance for the event which included the first large pride parade in the Tri-Cities region.[2][3]

One of the primary criticisms of the year one festival was the large police presence and perimeter that was established around the event. This was as a result of intelligence from the FBI. Over 240 officers from Johnson City and surrounding jurisdictions participated in the security of the event.[4] No incidents occurred during the festival.

2019

The year two festival occurred on September 7, 2019 in downtown Kingsport, Tennessee.[5] The pride event was the first in the city's history. The festival's 2019 theme focused around the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots,[6] with a particular reference to the social progress that's been made since those riots occurred in 1969. The theme was "Look How Far We've Come."[7]

2020

The year three festival was to happen on August 29, 2020 in downtown Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee.[8] Organizers cancelled the 2020 parade and festival event due to the COVID-19 crisis.[9] In June 2020, TriPride organizers offered free rainbow Pride Flags to any person in the community that wanted one as a way of celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride month.[10][11]

Organizational structure

The managing organization, TriPride TN, Inc., is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. There is a board of 15 directors, 5 of whom are an executive committee responsible for the day-to-day governing of the organization. Each board member serves a two-year term. The President and Vice President are an exception in that they serve a three-year term to ensure an overlap between boards between elections.

References
  1. Loafer, The (2018-09-10). "First Annual TriPride Parade & Festival". The Loafer Online. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  2. "10,000 celebrate inaugural Tri-Pride Festival in Johnson City". WJHL. 15 September 2018. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019.
  3. "Tri-Cities first LGBT pride parade and festival draws thousands". WCYB. 15 September 2018.
  4. "JCPD Chief on TriPride security: 'We didn't want another Charlottesville'". Johnson City Press. 17 September 2018.
  5. "TriPride Tennessee Parade and Festival coming to downtown Kingsport in September". Kingsport Times-News. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  6. "TriPride Parade and Festival to be held in Kingsport". Kingsport Times News. 22 January 2019.
  7. Salas, About the Author Anthony (2019-09-08). "'Look how far we've come': TriPride 2019". East Tennessean. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  8. COURIER, BRISTOL HERALD. "TriPride event planned for Twin City". HeraldCourier.com. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  9. "2020 Tri-Pride Parade and Festival postponed, date not yet determined". WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. 2020-04-30. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  10. "Tri-Pride offers free flags for Pride Month". Johnson City Press. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  11. "After handing out 600 free flags, local business to help TriPride hand out 600 more". WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
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