A week from today the main event of 2016 Hampton Roads Pride Fest will take place in downtown Norfolk's Town Point Park, one of the region's premier outdoor venues. The transformation of Pride Fest from when I first attended after "coming out" 14 years ago is nothing short of amazing. In 2003, the event consisted of a single day event with few hundred people tucked away in a hidden part of Lakewood Part in Norfolk. This year's event may see 20,000 attendees with the nation's only Pride boat parade (the husband is pictured in the red tank to the left in the photo above from 2014) and events will take place throughout the coming week. There will be an event on the Hampton Waterfront on Wednesday, Thursday, HRBOR, the local LGBT chamber of commerce holds an event at O'Connor Brewing in Norfolk, and Friday night the block party at Scope, Norfolk's downtown coliseum takes place. Smaller events are taking place starting today.
As a sign that Hampton Roads Pride has made the big time, the event site GayCities is even advertising the event with details here.
If you have never attended a Pride event, consider attending this year. If you cannot make the Saturday event, consider the block party at Scope. Last year's block party - the first in Scope - was truly spectacular and we had to keep reminding ourselves that we were in Norfolk and not some European capital.
Yes, Newport News Shipbuilding is a major sponsor. The changes have been incredible.
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