PREVIEW: Third Annual Lower Adirondack Pride Festival
6/1 @ Glens Falls City Park
Provided by Lower ADK Pride
“We are declaring that queer people deserve to take up space… That we deserve to live fully, love openly, and lead boldly.”
Lower Adirondack Pride will host their third annual Pride Festival in Glens Falls on Sunday, June 1st from 11AM to 4PM in Glens Falls City Park. This year’s festival will feature over 70 vendors, a drag show, and live performances by Jay Mullen and The Spotters along with singer-songwriter Erin Harkes. Attendees can expect a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere filled with entertainment, community resources, food, and activities for all ages. Vendors will include artisans, crafters, local businesses, food, and nonprofit organizations. There will also be a community march at 11:20 AM.
The organization’s current president, Cam Cardinale, reflected on the growth of the festival since its inauguration a couple of years ago in 2023. “We just kind of threw some things together and it worked,” he told me about that first festival. He added that the event had only 20 days of planning and a budget of less than $1,000. It was successful even despite that shoestring budget, and went on to become an even larger success in 2024 with attendance increasing by 300% between the first and second year.
“We went from 1,500 folks to just about 6,000 folks in attendance,” Cardinale told me. He said that with community support continuing to surge, he expects the 2025 installment to be the most groundbreaking yet. “This year we're kicking it off with 70 vendors and over 40 sponsors—community members, businesses and organizations who believe in what we're building here in Glens Falls.”
The festival and Lower Adirondack Pride as a whole have come a long way since humble beginnings in 2023; they now operate 365 days a year, putting on a plethora of events and offering crucial access to services for the LGBTQIA+ community in Warren, Washington, and Northern Saratoga Counties.
“Queer people aren't just queer in June,” Cardinale stresses. “This year we've done over 20 events thus far, and we've got another 30 or so planned before the end of the year. We've extended into so much more than just events through our direct services, case management, and mental health programs.”
He also emphasized the importance of celebrating Pride in the current social climate. “Now more than ever, building community isn’t just important—it’s essential. At a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are under attack across the country, coming together in joy, pride and solidarity is an act of defiance. It’s a reminder that we are here, we are strong, and we are not going anywhere.”
He told me that this festival is more than just a celebration; it’s a declaration. “We are declaring that queer people deserve to take up space. That we deserve to live fully, love openly, and lead boldly. Lower Adirondack Pride will never back down from fighting for a future where everyone is free to be exactly who they are.”
Cardinale told me that Lower Adirondack Pride remains committed to creating spaces where LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies can come together to celebrate authenticity, resilience, and collective power. He predicts that this year’s Lower Adirondack Pride Festival will draw thousands of people to gather once again for a joyful and energizing day in the heart of Glens Falls.
For more information on Lower Adirondack Pride and how you can support them, visit them at https://www.loweradkpride.org/.
