a message to our community

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Rochester Pride Parade and Festival.

We were deeply disappointed to end the festivities early after investing so much time and care into creating this celebration for our community.

In the days leading up to the event and throughout the day on Saturday, we closely monitored weather conditions and forecasts in coordination with city and county emergency officials. We remained hopeful that conditions would improve and allow us to continue celebrating Pride together. However, when it became clear that approaching thunderstorms posed a safety risk, we made the difficult decision to end the festival while there was still enough time to notify attendees, assist vendors, and safely clear the site.

Every decision was made in real time based on the conditions at that moment, with the safety of attendees, volunteers, vendors, performers, staff, and community members as our highest priority. While we are heartbroken that the festival ended earlier than planned, we are grateful that everyone made it home safely and that no injuries or serious incidents were reported.

We know this outcome was disappointing for many, and we are incredibly grateful for the understanding, support, and energy our community brought despite the challenging weather. The joy, love, and pride we witnessed throughout the day reminded us why this celebration matters so much.

To support those most affected by the cancellation, we will be offering refunds to the small businesses and community organizations that registered to table at the festival. We will also be posting links to the online stores and websites of retail vendors that were impacted and we encourage our community to support them whenever possible.

Additionally, refunds will be available for attendees who purchased General Admission or VIP tickets online. If you would like to request a refund, please follow the instructions posted here and please allow time for processing. Alternatively, you may choose to consider your ticket purchase a donation that helps to support future Rochester Pride celebrations.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds to individuals who paid cash on the day of the event. Rochester Pride is run by a nonprofit organization, and proceeds are not retained after the event. Any remaining funds are reinvested into Pride grants that support educational initiatives and LGBTQ+ programming throughout the community.

We know some community members may be wondering whether the festival can be rescheduled. Unfortunately, an event of this size cannot simply be moved to another date. Rochester Pride requires months of planning and coordination to secure permits, schedule staff and volunteers, book performers, and partner with the many vendors and community organizations that bring the event to life. While we wish we could reschedule, the logistical requirements of producing an event of this scale make it impossible.

Although the weather interrupted our celebration, it cannot diminish the spirit of Pride. The resilience, love, and unity of this community remain stronger than ever.

Thank you for standing with us, celebrating with us, and continuing to support Rochester Pride. We look forward to welcoming you back next year.