Views from Druid City Pride: A Celebration of Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s Queer Community

If you stumbled upon Government Plaza this past weekend, you may have seen the various colorful and symbolic flags waving with pride in the hot Tuscaloosa air.

If you’re unaware, the Druid City Pride festival occurred this past weekend on Oct. 10, directly after Tuscaloosa’s pride week. The week serves to celebrate gay and queer identities that encapsulate the spirit of LGBT+ pride.

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Dozens of local businesses and vendors came to celebrate the event with fun rainbow-themed stickers, totes, pins, and more. Some sponsors came to promote and advocate for health care resources along with HIV awareness, giving away free condoms as well as hygienic menstrual products

Last year, Druid City Pride was hosted online via Zoom due to in-person restrictions brought on by COVID-19, but fortunately, the festival was held in-person this year so that many could experience the joy of seeing the celebration firsthand.

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The festival is held during October, as opposed to the nationally observed Gay Pride Month in June, due to two things: the summer months see a lack of University students in town, and the relentless Tuscaloosa heat is a little more favorable in the fall. October is also observed as Queer History Month, and National Coming Out Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 11.

These significant dates held during October (not to mention the weather) make it the perfect time to host Druid City Pride.

In case you missed it – have no fear! The Druid City Pride organization hosts a multitude of events throughout the year so make sure to follow their Instagram for updates on all upcoming events.

Went to pride? What was your favorite part? Download the free Alt 101.7 app and tell us all about it. Otherwise, check out our photos here: