Pride in the Sky Kicks Off LGBTQ Pride Festivities in Dutchess County

Pride in the Sky, the first-ever pride celebration at the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., takes place on Friday, May 17, 2024, from 6 p.m.  to 10 p.m. The event kicks off several Pride festivals and celebrations throughout Dutchess County. The event is free with advance registration at www.biggayhudsonvalley.com.

The evening event will feature a DJ-driven dance party at the Walkway’s Center Overlook, along with featured hosts from the LGBTQ+ Community and illuminated performers and entertainers. Pride in the Sky will also feature the Walkway’s new LED color-changing lighting as the bridge illuminates in rainbow colors for the evening. The inaugural event is hosted by Big Gay Hudson Valley, an online resource and events company for the LGBTQ+ community in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, in partnership with the Friends of the Walkway and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, with support from Dutchess Tourism, Inc. and other local organizations.

A former railroad bridge built in 1888, the Walkway spans 1.26 miles and rises 212 feet above the majestic Hudson River. It's the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world with a bird’s eye view of the river, the Catskill Mountains and Dutchess County.

As sunset approaches, a group of 100-plus flag marshals will carry the Key West flag, a 15-foot-wide, 500-foot-long portion of a rainbow flag created especially for the flag’s 20th anniversary in 1998. The 1.5-mile-long flag was created by Gilbert Baker, with the support of SPI Marketing, and stretched from one end of Key West Florida to the opposite side of the island to mark the anniversary. Featuring the original eight color stripes, this section of that flag will be carried from the Dutchess County side of the Walkway across the river.

LGBTQ+ community groups will be set up in both counties leading to the bridge to share resources and information on upcoming Pride Month events in June. Vendors will be on hand selling food and non-alcoholic beverages.

In addition, Big Gay Hudson Valley is working with Dutchess Tourism on a soon-to-be-released queer travel map for Dutchess County.

Other Pride events include:

·       Poughkeepsie Pride Parade and Festival (Saturday, June 8, 12 p.m. in Poughkeepsie): This annual parade marches down Market Street, onto Main Street and then to the festival at Victor C. Waryas Park on the Poughkeepsie Waterfront.

·       Children's "STEAM Pride" Event (Sunday, June 9, 1 p.m. at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum, Poughkeepsie): Led by a drag performer, this free children's program features engaging science demonstrations, singing, and plenty of fun activities.

·       Hudson Valley Renegades: Pride Baseball Game (Tuesday, June 11, 6:35 p.m. at Heritage Financial Park, Wappingers Falls): “Baseball is for everyone” is the theme of the night as the Renegades, a Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees, hold their annual Pride Game when they host the rival Brooklyn Cyclones in a South Atlantic League game. The first 1,000 fans through the gates receive a unique T-shirt.

·       Queer Pride Weekend: A Celebration and Exploration of Queerness, Soul and Spirituality (June 28 – 30 at Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Rhinebeck): Yuval Samburski and his husband, German Henry, lead this weekend retreat that includes workshops and activities designed to celebrate uniqueness, build a community of support, and address struggles with respect and kindness.

Visit www.dutchesstourism.com/lgbtq for travel inspiration and more Pride Month Events in Dutchess County, N.Y.

Photo of Big Gay Hudson Valley founders Stephan Hengst and Patrick Decker on the Walkway Over the Hudson.