Keystone Pride 2015 was a resounding success and we have already started planning for the Keystone Pride Conference 2016 which will be probably be Sunday, March 20. (27th is Easter). As soon as get a firm commitment on a conference room, we will firm up the date. We have already heard from the groups that attended last year and are returning: (1) Northeast Pa., (2)Northwest Pa., (3) Philadelphia, (4) Reading. New groups that are attending this year: (5) New Hope, (6) Phila. Black Gay Pride, (7) Syracuse Pride, (8) Greater Lehigh Valley. We imagine that (9) Harrisburg will attend this year as it will be in their backyard and hopefully (10) Southern New Jersey will be able to attend. We hope that (11) Pittsburgh will come this year. Which will then cover all Pennsylvania groups. We expect another two non-Pennsylvania groups to attend as well.
Northwest PA. already volunteered to lead the discussion concerning trans participation in Pride events, which is a hot button issue in Pride circles. We hope to have some discussions on the grassroots vs. commercial aspects of our events as well as making our events more inclusive.
This conference gives the groups time to discuss their respective events, learn from others, exchange information, network . . . . . . all without dues, fees, hotel costs, travel expenses and, dare we say, drama. There are no titles at Keystone Pride and all groups are equal. Many small Pride groups are hard-pressed to make enough to fund their own events, and it is prohibitively expensive to attend annual conferences. The growth of pride organizations will certainly be occurring in smaller and more rural communities and we need them to participate in these conferences.
We expect to meet in Harrisburg this year.
Email us at KeystoneLGBT@aol.com for information.
Almost all area Pride events are concluded except for Sunday, Sept. 13 (South Jersey- Out in the Park) and October 11 (Philadelphia — Outfest)