ELLSWORTH, Maine — Ellsworth held its annual PrideFest Sunday, bringing the local LGBTQ+ community and allies together to Knowlton Park.
Through the rain, Pride shined through. PrideFest offered a safe and joyous space for people of all identities to come together through music, food, arts, and crafts.
“I love being part of the queer community in Ellsworth, and it's very nice to feel at home with a lot of different queer people, even those that I don't know,” Danny Hardie, a PrideFest attendee, said.
Hardie said they have struggled before with feeling accepted before as a queer person.
“It's so nice to have an environment that's just pure acceptance,” they said.
For many in Ellsworth, PrideFest is more than just a celebration: It’s a call to action.
“Enjoy today, and on Tuesday vote for pro-equality candidates,” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said to the crowd.
With the rise of anti-LGBTQ legislation across the country, many are taking to the polls to make a difference.
“Voting does matter,” Bellows said. “That's how we change the laws. That's how we build a more inclusive and welcoming Maine for all people.”
For some, having a support system at Pride means everything.
Roxanne Wood, 16, said she had to leave Ellsworth High School because of transphobia she experienced.
“That ended in me being physically hurt and verbally harassed,” she said. “Death threats were thrown at me multiple times.”
Despite the struggles she has faced, Wood said the community at PrideFest inspires her.
“When you get to see these people, even just once a year, it makes you feel like you can keep going,” she said.