Rochester held its annual Pride celebration on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The celebration, which included a parade and festival, was cut short due to intense rain.
This year’s Pride theme was Enchanted Pride, voted on by community members earlier this year. Pride attendees wore enchanted outfits with fairy wings, and parade floats were adorned with whimsical decorations.
Pride parade featured community leaders and local organizations
The day’s festivities started with the Pride Parade, which began at the intersection of South Avenue and Science Parkway and ended at Highland Park. The parade featured transgender advocate Brittan Hardgers as Grand Marshal and drag queen Aggy Dune as Honorary Marshal.
The Flower City Pride Band opened the parade with lively music. Rochester queer-owned businesses, like Roar and Flora, participated in the enchanted parade. Mayor Malik Evans, County Executive Adam Bello and Rep. Joe Morelle were just some of the local politicians in attendance.
The parade showcased many local groups, from Rainbow Seniors ROC to the Rochester Renegade Womxn’s Rugby Football Club.
Pride Festival canceled after heavy rain
After the parade, the celebration was supposed to continue with the annual Pride Festival at Highland Park. The festival was set to include vendors, live music, games and more. However, the parade ended in a heavy downpour and the festival was cancelled due to inclement weather.
How to stay updated on Rochester Pride
For updates about next year’s Rochester Pride celebration, follow Rochester Pride on Facebook and Instagram.
Erin Jones is a Democrat and Chronicle intern covering food and retail. You can reach her on Instagram or email her at ejones@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Severe weather forces end to Rochester Pride event
Reporting by Erin Jones, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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By Erin Jones, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
