St. Vincents' is on a mission! All are invited to walk as a parish group in the Capital Pride Parade on Sunday, June 12. The parade is a joyful celebration of the LGBTQ community and participating is a way for us to make visible our courageous hospitality.

Information for those joining the parade:

The parade steps off at 11:50! Please be present with us by 11:45 in the park. If you're not with the group walking over together, marchers will assemble on the park road along State St. Lost? Call or text Tess at 518-300-7791.

Meet in the parish parking lot between 10:30 and 11am! Please park on the far side of the lot from the church. The group walking over together will leave by 11:15. If you wish to meet us on State St, you may do so. We suggest parking at the church due to limited street parking close to the park.

Wear your Pride shirt! Dress for the weather, and for walking. Comfy shoes are a must! Feel free to wear any other rainbow/Pride-themed clothing or accessories you wish, and bring pride flags or other celebratory gear. (And don't forget your sunscreen and hydration! Reusable water bottles are encouraged.)

Mid-parade checkpoint - James Harvey will be setting up at a spot along Lark Street to cheer for the parade and provide a checkpoint for our group. If we reach this point and you find that you'd like to stop walking, or you'd like to rest along the route and join in at this midpoint to finish the parade with the group, this will be the place! As we don't know what the crowds will be like at this time, we'll have the precise location the day of, but if you're concerned about the length of the parade, we've got you covered.

Parade Route (information via albany.com) - The Capital PRIDE Parade steps off in Washington Park, at the intersection of Robin and State Streets. From there we will march down State Street, over Lark Street, up Madison Avenue and back into the park at the intersection of Madison and New Scotland Avenues.

After the parade, you're free to enjoy the day! Check out the festivities, grab lunch from one of the vendors, or head back to the parish; it's up to you! A group will be walking back to the parish after a short break post-parade.

If you haven't picked up your shirt yet, you may do so at the church during regular office hours on Thursday or Friday, and any remaining shirts will be brought to the parade if you wish to pick them up the day of. If you'd like to make other arrangements, please reply to the email ASAP to do so.

If you haven't made a donation yet and wish to, donations can be made in person on Sunday the 12th, or online via the parish Donation page through the 19th. These are freewill offerings, and help to offset the cost of the group's participation, including the shirts. Please do not feel pressured to donate if you cannot, for any reason! Your participation and support is more than enough.

And finally, several people have expressed concerns about possible confrontations from other Pride-goers who may be upset to see a Catholic group participating, or the possibility of being approached by the press for a comment. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, don't hesitate to step back or walk away. You should not feel pressured into a conversation or argument, and if you do find that happening to yourself or another person from our group, disengage and/or find either Kerry or Tess to step in. 

Similarly, if you find yourself approached by a member of the press, you should not feel pressured to make a statement of any kind. If you choose to, please be sure to be clear that you only speak for yourself, and that you are not representing the views of any larger group. Again, if you find yourself uncomfortable, Kerry or Tess are there to help out. (This is a standard reminder for any group participating in a social or political event, and we don't believe anyone should be overly concerned about either of these possibilities.)

We're so glad you're planning to join us! If you have any questions, please let us know and we'll get back to you ASAP.

If you have any questions or want to be further involved, please email events@stvincentalbany.org