Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride (UCBPride) will host its 5th annual Pride Festival on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Concord Point Park in Havre de Grace, MD. This year’s festival theme is, “Pride by the Tide.” The free, family-friendly festival will feature live music and drag performances. Over 100 artists, vendors, and local non-profit organizations will be on-site for this year’s event.
This year, UCBPride is thrilled to welcome back Harford Community College as a Presenting Sponsor for the Pride Festival. In addition, eight Host Sponsors have signed on for this year’s event: APGFCU; Harford County Cultural Arts Board; Hollywood Casino Perryville; Rebecca Cole, Realtor; St. John’s Episcopal Church; TENAX Technologies; United Methodists of Harford County; and University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health.
The event will include welcome remarks from Ashley Sterner, host of WYPR’s “Morning Edition.” Sterner has worked in public radio since she was 18 years old. Since 2005, she has been the morning host at Baltimore’s flagship NPR station, WYPR, consistently garnering the market’s highest audience for news/talk stations.
The headline musician for this year’s Pride Festival is independent singer/songwriter SONiA disappear fear. SONiA disappear fear (born Sonia Rutstein) is loved for her beautiful voice and songs that illuminate truth passionately delivered. Born in Baltimore and cruising relentlessly across the USA in the early 90s, SONiA has grown to be loved around the world. Writing in genres from Blues to World Music SONiA has been recognized by multiple organizations for her prolific songwriting including the International Folk Alliance and the Recording Academy. SONiA is currently on tour in Europe and will be releasing her much anticipated 23rd album in the fall of 2023 followed by her auto-biography in 2024.
This year’s hosts will be regional drag superstars Vagenesis and Venus Fastrada, both known for their talent, humor, and advocacy work in the Delmarva area. This year’s festival logo was designed by Carla Mattioli, a design and marketing professional with a passion for social justice, advocating for reproductive freedom and LGBTQIA+ rights.
About Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride
Founded in 2019, Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride provides unwavering advocacy and support for LGBTQIA+ people, communities, and their families in Harford and Cecil Counties. For more information about the festival or our organization, please visit www.UCBPride.com.
