The third annual Warren County Pride Day Celebration brought thousands to Betts Park on Saturday.

There were almost 80 vendors, speakers, performances, contests, games, and events.

“We’re really delighted,” Fr. Matt Scott said. “We have a lot of really happy people and vendors.”

The event is growing.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Frankie Williams has fire painted on his cheek by face paint artist Alex Williams Saturday at Warren County Pride at Betts Park.

In its first year, Pride was held at Gen. Joseph Warren Park. It moved to the northeastern portion of Betts Park in 2021. This year, the event took over the entire western part of the park.

The increase in space made the event feel less crowded, but organizers expect the numbers to have grown substantially again this year.

That is despite the absence of a state-wide marquee name as keynote speaker. In 2021, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman spent the day at the event. He was planning to come back this year, but, after suffering a stroke in May, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate is not traveling. “He’s getting better,” Doug Hearn said. “He was going to be the keynote. They really do care about Warren County and they check in quite a bit.”

Hearn said Gisele Fetterman, John’s wife, called him on Friday. They asked Hearn to relay their regrets and words of encouragement.

Dr. Richard McCarty, professor of religious studies at Mercyhurst University spoke Saturday afternoon about the importance of staying positive.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren County Pride Master of Ceremonies Logan Johnson (right) presents the first place award in the Fashion Show to Alaura Sutton.

“It’s really important to be what you are for, not just what you are against,” McCarty said. “Pride is not a rally to be against anyone.”

“Remember to choose hope,” he said. “Hope is a habit of leaning into what is difficult, but possible to achieve.”

He said the road to equality will not be quick and easy.

“There are going to be setbacks in the movement for full equality,” McCarty said. “One day won’t accomplish victory.”

He said the movement should help those who are trying to be supportive, even when they are using the wrong words.

“We have to understand the difference between being offensive and people being on a learning curve,” he said. “Let’s not be harsh. Let’s help them understand.”

But, “we never have to accept disrespect,” he said.

Following the event at Betts Park, there was a Drag Show at Struthers Library Theatre.

The theater has been a partner with Pride Day this year.

“I was very excited to partner with Pride,” Executive Director Karen Austin said. “Inclusion, acceptance, tolerance, and love are concepts I’ve grown up with. Without Pride, I don’t think there would be a theater.”

Logan Johnson was the Pride master of ceremonies.

“There’s so much going on,” Johnson said. “As the event grows, we have more and more people lending hands.”

He expressed “how happy it makes me how quickly this event has grown.”

“It’s such a great feeling to have been able to grow with the event,” he said. “So many before me haven’t been able to.”

Hearn said he was hesitant to participate in the event in 2020, but was led by Johnson’s example.

“Logan was the person that inspired me to get involved,” he said. “When I saw someone his age being there, supported by his family, and being reported on, I really regretted that I didn’t go. When I was 16 years old, I was in hiding.”

There were vendors offering everything from novelties to COVID tests. There were health providers, veterans services, free books, political groups, and even games of chess.

There were bounce houses for kids and contests for pets.

Face painting, hair styling, and manicures were available.

“Today, I feel like there is more of the community here than just LGBT+,” Hearn said. “We’ve been trying to bring the whole community together. We’re progressing all the time.”

“Every year we learn, we hear more and more about what this weekend means to people,” he said.

“We hear a new story if we open our hearts and our eyes,” Scott said. “It opens us to more of what God is doing in the world. Ultimately, love wins.”