Gov. Tom Wolf has proclaimed June 18 as Warren County Pride Day. The Pride Day Celebration, seen here in 2021, is set for June 18 at Betts Park.

Warren County Pride secured a prominent ally this week.

Gov. Tom Wolf issued a proclamation setting Saturday, June 18, as “Warren County Pride Day” across the Commonwealth.

This year’s Pride Day Celebration is set for Betts Park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“We are both grateful and excited for the support from the Governor’s office,” Jill Sumner, one of the event organizers, said. “This level of recognition is a great honor.”

“We are thankful for the continued support of Warren County Pride by Governor Wolf,” Doug Hearn added.

“This Warren County Pride event is meant to celebrate how far we have come, not only for the LGBTQIA+ community, but also to understand the obstacles that face us every day. We still need laws that protect LGBTQIA+ Pennsylvanians from discrimination.”

The proclamation outlined several facets of the event, arguing that “Warren County Pride Day is a time to unite and denounce discrimination and violence toward LGBTQ individuals, to promote self-affirmation, dignity, and equality, and to mobilize communities.

“The commonwealth is proud to honor the history and contributions of LGBTQ communities within our state and throughout the nation.”

“In Pennsylvania, you can marry the person you love on Friday, but lose your job on Monday morning,” Hearn said. “You can marry the one you love on Friday and lose your apartment on Monday. This is a human rights issue.”

The proclamation outlines how there’s still work to be done.

“Although tremendous progress has been made in the LGBTQ rights movement, Pennsylvania still needs legislative action to prevent discrimination, comprehensively, based on sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity,” it reads.

Pride Day will bring a full slate of events to Betts Park

Speakers will include Mayor Dave Wortman, Logan Johnson, Dr. Richard McCarty, Michael Mahler and Rev. Matthew Scott; drag shows at 11:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. and a host of activities including board games, a bounce house, face painting and glitter tattoos, find-a-friend icebreakers, fishing on the Allegheny, flag giveaways, playgrounds, a pet costume contest, a human costume contest, limbo, a water balloon battle, Pride Rocks Hunt and sidewalk chalk drawings.

“The event has been organized by local pride supporters and is meant to be an inclusive, all-ages family event celebrating diversity and promoting equality, acceptance, tolerance, and love throughout beautiful Warren County, Pennsylvania,” organizers say.