‘We can be ourselves’: Pikeville Pride celebrations held Saturday

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - Pikeville Pride is back in action after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Thousands of people gathered at the Pikeville City Park to celebrate the LGBTQ Plus community. They showed their support and had fun with music, food and more.

Volunteer organizer Emma Lowe said the support from people across Appalachia is astonishing. Something most people from the region who identify as LGBTQ Plus could have never dreamed of even just ten years ago.

“This is our home, so we’re just happy to see that we can be ourselves and be open about who we are here at home,” she said. “For a lot of us growing up, this is something we never expected to happen for us, and now we’re joined in, like you said, a few thousand people coming out to celebrate us as well. It’s heartwarming.”

Pikeville Pride featured several guest speakers as well.