CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)- For the third year in a row, the Ting Pavillion on the Downtown Mall will host the Charlottesville Pride Festival on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m. and running until 7:30 p.m. 

The festival, that was held at IX Art Park until 2023, will feature the largest ever number of local vendors and organizations in its 14-year history, according to the President of Cville Pride, Nick Hutchins. Hutchings said as many as 100 vendors are expected at this year’s event.

“The first festival I worked at IX topped out at 15 vendors,” Hutchins told Cville Right Now, “It really speaks to how excited people are to participate in this.” 

Hutchins worked in LGBTQ advocacy before moving to the area and volunteering with Cville Pride, he has been the President of the organization for two and a half years. Having worked in Washington D.C., one of the festival’s main focuses in ensuring that it works to celebrate the LOCAL community of Charlottesville, and that though its reach continues to grow, he says the organization will pass the test of keeping Charlottesville front and center, lest the party become “too corporate.” 

“With big festivals come bigger expenses,” Hutchins said, “and they tend to do larger sponsorships with bigger corporations.  Because of these partnerships it’s a lot more of a corporate environment in the bigger cities at Pride, of course it’s wonderful that they’re supporting, but you can tend to get away from the larger purpose of what pride means.” 

Hutchins praised the strength, confidence and visibility of the LGBTQ community in Charlottesville, especially the many LGBTQ-owned businesses that, for two years of the COVID pandemic, stepped up to provide a nexus for the community while the local pride festival was on hold.  

Charlottesville Councilor Natalie Oschrin told Cville Right Now that she believes it’s important for Charlottesville to be welcoming to all its residents and visitors, and the Pride Festival is a part of that message. 

“Celebrating Pride is the opposite of hiding or ignoring folks who have been historically threatened or outlawed,” Oschrin said, “every celebration pushes the conversation towards equality and away from fear or shame.” 

Shortly after the festival kicks off the first of four musical performances will be begin at 1 p.m. Throughout the afternoon, folk rock band The Crybabies, theatrical punk band The Falsies, electronic outfit Unheard Sirens, and local hip-hop star Lady Taj will take to the Pavillion Stage.  The musicians will finish at 5 p.m. and that’s when the attention will shift to a two hour drag show that will run until 7 p.m.