May 12, 2022
Finale of weeklong LGBTQ+ celebration will be first in-person celebration in two years and feature RuPaul’s Drag Race star
BUFFALO, NY – MAY 9, 2022 – Buffalo Pride Week organizers today announced that tickets are now available on buffaloprideweek.com for the Pride Festival, which will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Canalside on Sunday, June 5. The Pride Festival is traditionally considered the grand finale of Pride Week and ‘Kornbread Jeté,’ drag performer and popular contestant on season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2022, has been named as one of the national acts, the first in a series of upcoming Pride Festival entertainment announcements.
“The Pride Festival is one of the community’s favorite events during Buffalo Pride Week, and we could not be more excited to bring it back as an in-person celebration,” said Justin Azzarella, chief strategy officer at Evergreen Health. “Buffalo Pride Week brings people together in the name of love, inclusivity and unity, and we are thrilled to announce that ticket sales are open and that Kornbread will join us for this ‘homecoming’ for the LGBTQ+ community at Canalside!”
General admission tickets for the Pride Festival are $10 if purchased in advance and $20 if purchased on the day of the event at the Festival entrance. Quest Diagnostics Premium lounge tickets are $40 in advance and $55 at the door. The Quest Diagnostics Premium Lounge area is reserved for those 21 years of age and older and features free-and-for purchase-drinks, premium stage views, a break from the crowds and opportunities to mingle with Kornbread and other Festival talent, to be announced. All sponsorships, donations and Festival ticket purchases support Buffalo Pride Week and Pride Center of WNY. The Pride Center’s mission is to make Western New York a safe, healthy, and satisfying place for LGBTQ+ people to live, work and establish their families.
Kornbread Jeté, also known as Kornbread ‘The Snack’ Jeté or simply Kornbread, is the stage name of drag performer Demoria Elise Williams, best known for competing on season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, an Emmy-winning reality series and fashion and performance competition. Kornbread was named this year’s Miss. Congeniality during the 2022 Drag Race season finale.
Buffalo Pride Week will be held May 31 through June 5, with the theme of ‘Homecoming,’ to recognize the return of the Pride Parade and Pride Festival as in-person events, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Pride Parade – Sunday, June 5, 2022, 11:00 a.m.
Elmwood Avenue, beginning Forest Avenue and ending near Allen Street
Tickets: Registration is free and open to the public and closes on Saturday, May 14. Learn more or register at buffaloprideweek.com.
The Parade will take place along its normal route, beginning at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Forest Avenue and ending near Allen Street.
Pride Festival – Sunday, June 5, 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Canalside
Tickets: Tickets are available for purchase on buffaloprideweek.com.
The Pride Festival is a vibrant celebration of Western New York’s LGBTQ+ community that features entertainment, family activities, food and beverages, live performances and nonprofit and retail vendors. Proceeds from the Pride Festival support the mission and programming of the Pride Center of Western New York, an affiliate of Evergreen Health.
The annual weeklong Buffalo Pride Week celebration includes family-friendly events, fitness-related events, art events, club parties and much more, at various locations and venues throughout Western New York. Buffalo Pride Week encourages affirming organizations, businesses and individuals to submit safe and lawful events that abide by current city, county and state COVID-19 guidelines to buffaloprideweek.com.
The Pride Parade and Festival are hosted by Evergreen Health Foundation, an affiliate of Evergreen Health, and are presented by Evergreen Health and M&T Bank. 2022 Buffalo Pride Week is also sponsored by Geico, Quest Diagnostics, Linde, Rich Products, National Grid, Tito’s Vodka, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Attorney at Law Christopher J. Tyrpak, Life Storage, as well as other local businesses.
The Evergreen Health Foundation, an affiliate of Evergreen Health, coordinates and manages the Buffalo Pride Parade and Pride Festival as a way to give back to the communities served by Evergreen Health and its affiliate organizations.
Evergreen Health fosters healthy communities by providing medical, supportive, and behavioral services to individuals and families in Western New York – especially those who are living with chronic illness or who are underserved by the healthcare system.
M&T Bank is a multi-state community-focused bank serving New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, M&T Bank and its affiliates provide banking, investment, insurance and mortgage financial services to consumer, business and government clients.