This year's Bangor LGBT Pride Festival came one day exactly after the historical ruling in the US Supreme Court that same sax marriage was a fundamental right which could be upheld in all fifty states. While of course this posed controversy on some levels among the matter's detractors? It was personally triumphant within my own mind and heart. This years Bangor Pride promised to be larger in scope than previous Pride festivals-covering both Pickering and West Market Square in the city center.
While the crowd was among the largest Bangor Pride Festival has ever had since I've been attending it? It did seem to me as if the atmosphere among the people attending was rather subdued and quiet after such a monumental event had just occurred. Perhaps the more overt celebrations took place at the more private after parties. Wasn't there to know. Still the joy was present in more implicit ways. I saw more same sex couples proudly holding hands, as well as a more racially diverse crowd, than in any other local pride festival,for example. So enjoy these images from an historical Bangor Pride Festival!
Today was the first, and hopefully annual, Central Maine Pride Festival. Taking place in the Veterans Memorial Park across from the local public library? The event was relatively small. But showcased the 2010's era LGBT public event mentality in the most effective way I've witnessed in a long time. Without a huge amount of attendees? Gay men and woman as well as transgender individuals all dealt with their differences as being perfectly natural. And a cause to celebrate,eat sing and even (as with myself) have their faces painted. Enjoy these images of a first for the city of my birth.
