Buffalo Pride Week is May 28 to June 2

BUFFALO, NY – MAY 28, 2019 – Buffalo Pride Week 2019, presented by M&T Bank and Evergreen Health, will take place May 28 to June 2. With more than 35 events planned at various locations and venues throughout Buffalo, this year’s Pride schedule offers a host of events for the LGBTQ+ community.

This year, Buffalo Pride Week launched a new website – www.buffaloprideweek.com – to serve as the main resource for Pride Week events. The public marketing tool provides all organizations hosting a Pride event an opportunity to promote their events to a large audience.

“The mission of Buffalo Pride Week is to uplift the LGBTQ+ community by raising awareness for and providing access to diverse events that bring people together in the spirit of celebration, advocacy and community engagement,” said Justin Azzarella, vice president of community development, Evergreen Health. “The growth of Pride Week over the past few years has been tremendous and we knew we needed to make sure we are staying true to the spirit of the event. The new website was created to align with this mission and better meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.”

People can attend family-friendly events, fitness-related events, art events, club parties and much more. Two of the long-standing events, the Pride Parade and Festival, presented by the Evergreen Foundation, an affiliate of Evergreen Health, will take place Sunday, June 2. The Parade begins at 12 p.m. at the corner of Elmwood Ave. and Forest Ave. More than 150 organizations are expected to march down Elmwood.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising in New York City, which is considered to be the event that was the catalyst to the gay liberation movement,” said Azzarella. “The Parade theme is ‘Keep Making History’ because we wanted to give participants the opportunity to express what this historic event means to them and also send a message that we’re still moving forward on the path to creating affirming and safe communities for LGBTQ+ people.”

“We are so proud to be part of Buffalo Pride Week, a true celebration of LGBTQ+ and all that’s been accomplished by those who came before us,” said Greg Imm, M&T Bank Chief Compliance Officer, who supports the company’s Pride Resource Group. “By sponsoring Buffalo Pride Week, we’re honoring all of the people who decided to build their bright futures in Buffalo, like we did. And we’re honoring this city’s amazing diversity, which we believe without a doubt makes Buffalo a great place to live and work.”

The Pride Festival follows the Parade from 1-7 p.m. at Canalside. Headlining the event is Todrick Hall, known from American Idol, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Kinky Boots and YouTube fame. Drag Queen Brooke Lynn Hytes from this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race is making her Buffalo debut and will be joining Todrick Hall on the mainstage along with other local talent throughout the day. The Festival also features community organizations, family activities, food and beverage vendors, retail vendors and live performances.

People who visit the new website can see a comprehensive list of events with dates, times, locations and more. The website is a way to showcase how robust and diverse Buffalo’s Pride Week is to a broader audience.

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.