October is LGBTQ+ History Month, which means NC State’s Pride Center is celebrating with a multitude of campus events — such as their Visualization Gallery PrideFest Exhibit and their annual PrideFest parade and PrideFest lawn party — which was held on Oct 7.

The first PrideFest at NC State (formerly known as Pride Walk) wasn’t held until 2021. It was meant to be a way for students at NC State to come together with LGBTQ peers and allies. The event was much smaller — it was mainly just a walk around campus with students holding signs and posters, which they made together at Stafford Commons.

The event has grown exponentially since then and has become a prominent staple in campus culture and celebrations.

The Nubian Message spoke with Jae Edwards, the Assistant Director of the LGBTQ Pride Center at NC State.

He said students are welcome to the center and to any events they host, no questions asked. Edwards emphasized the importance of keeping everything at PrideFest free.

“A barrier to having fun is money, right? We want to make sure we have free meals and you’re able to come, have fun and walk away with resources,” he said.

The LGBTQ Pride Center had a crowdfunding campaign raising $5,000 and reached their goal, which allowed them to put on this event cost-free for students.

“If you want a space to be for you, you have to occupy the space,” Edwards said. “Take up space and know that this school is as much yours as anybody else’s.”

The PrideFest activities started with students making signs in Wolf Plaza in preparation for the PrideFest Parade. Students showed out in their brightest gear as they created a myriad of posters and bonded with each other.

The parade started a little after 1 p.m. as students began to make their way from Wolf Plaza, down to Hillsborough Street before circling through the Brickyard and making their way and back to Wolf Plaza and PrideFest, which was held at Stafford Commons. The students in the parade carried themselves with a sense of liveliness as their signs and shouts gathered the attention of many onlookers.

Throughout the parade, there were designated Rally and Refresh cheering stations scattered through the route as a means for students, staff, faculty and other community members to join in the festivities and cheer others on.

Certain disciplines and organizations hosted some of the stations, such as the Queer Business Student Association and the college of education. These stations also served to provide parade participants with a checkpoint where they could take a break and interact with their peers.

The tables at each station featured Pride swag as well as refreshments like water and hand fans. Some NC State students in the parade had brought along their band instruments and played the classic NC State fight song as well as some pieces by queer icons and artists such as “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga and “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan.

The parade was a rousing start to what would be a full afternoon of LGBTQ pride and camaraderie.

As the event kicked off, students were encouraged to register and sign in with the LGBTQ Pride Center. With registration, students were provided with one free swag item, a meal ticket that was good for a meal at one of the three food trucks present and a free popsicle.

The Nubian Message was able to talk to students and ask their opinions on how the event was going. Siddhi Khaire, a graduate student studying computer science said it was her second time at PrideFest, and she decided to come back again after seeing how inclusive and fun it was.

“Back when I was in India, I never attended any Pride festivals. Last year’s event was my first, and it felt so welcoming and I enjoyed myself. Why not come back?”

There was plenty of room for fun at PrideFest, as there were stations with many activities. Besides traditional lawn games, there were many methods of self-expression, such as crafts and tie-dying.

A very popular part of the event was the face painting tent. There was also a photo booth provided for participants to take away their own personal memento from PrideFest. Self-care methods were provided as well, such as free massages, therapy dogs and gender affirming haircuts.

Natalia Ortega-Felix, a senior majoring in history, shared it was their second time at PrideFest. What made them come back this year was the amount of free swag and resources available, specifically the ones highlighting health clinics.

“I like feeling comfortable knowing that I’m in a space with people who are also queer,” Ortega-Felix said. Their favorite part of the festival this year was how comfortable everything was and how accepting it felt. “I went to visit the mom’s booth; They were very nice. I got a hug.”

While PrideFest was filled with various kinds of recreation, there was also plenty of room for educating students and providing resources for LGBTQ students on and off campus.

NC State’s Counseling Center Campus Health promoted their services, which included drop-in counseling sessions held in the LGBTQ Pride Center and various forms of care provided on the main campus.

The Duke Voice Center, which also tabled at the event, helps individuals find their authentic voice through voice therapy, they were present as another resource for gender affirmation.

Other organizations, such as Raleigh United Mutual Aid Hub and the LGBTQ+ Center of Raleigh were there to share that the LGBTQ+ community in the Triangle area is not confined to one singular space, but rather something you can find and connect with in many places.

As mentioned previously, many participants were not only grateful for the free food and merchandise but also truly appreciated the educational and community value that PrideFest held.

Wally Shafer, a third-year majoring in zoology, shared it was his first time at PrideFest and talked about how nice it was to have a pride event hosted outside of the month of June. “It’s nice to have right now with everything that’s going on.”

Despite the mass success and improvement of PrideFest, some students expressed that there are still changes to be made.

Shafer is glad that NC State can host events like this, but wishes sexuality and identity weren’t seen as such a big deal in society.

“I hate the fact that there’s a Ministry booth right over there, because I know they’re preaching to people. It pisses me off that we can’t have an event like this without somebody being like, ‘We don’t want this here,” Shafer said.

Max Franks, a graduate student in the fiction Masters of Fine Arts program, shared he was surprised that PrideFest was able to be an official event hosted by NC State. “It’s better than nothing,” he said.

Franks expressed that while he appreciated the event, he would like to see more being done for students on a widespread scale.

“Any institution of power should not just do stuff like this, but also try to bring attention to the larger issues LGBTQ+ people face everywhere.”

The PrideFest parade and lawn party provide a space for celebration during a time that is important to the LGBTQ+ community.  Additionally, it functions as a supportive opportunity for the community.

While students may come for the food or for a good time, they will leave with so much more. The event will continue to grow and prosper in the years to come with the support of students, staff and faculty at its side.

At the end of the day, the joy and sense of belonging shared among students make PrideFest the celebration that it is.