LOVE WINS

2023 Pride at the Park

Join us for another year of Pride at the Park, presented by George’s Coney Island Hot Dogs, on Friday, September 15, 2023!

Join us for Pride at the Park, presented by George's Coney Island Hot Dogs, on Friday, September 15 as we continue our annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in Worcester and the world of sports! This year, we will kick off the night at Femme Bar with our very first pre-game “Karaoke Cocktail Hour,” where you can sing your favorite karaoke hits and enjoy food and beverages! Femme, located in Worcester’s Canal District, is the only Lesbian bar in the state of Massachusetts! This event is from 3 -5 PM and is free to the public. This event will serve as the gathering spot for our “Pride Procession,” in which participating members will form a parade through the ballpark and be highlighted at the start of our pre-game ceremonies. During our pre-game ceremony, members of the LGBTQ+ community will be uplifted and recognized for their contributions to the community! Entertainment and in-park activations with community groups and non-profits will be accessible to fans throughout the ballpark. To purchase from our dedicated “Pride at the Park” ticket package, please visit https://fevogm.com/polarparkpride.

What is "Pride at the Park"?

To celebrate and uplift the LGBTQ+ Community in Worcester and LGBTQ+ people in the world of sports, the Worcester Red Sox host “Pride at the Park” once per year during the month of September with celebrations and ceremonies to honor our LGBTQ+ fans, entertainment and in-park activities with community groups and non-profits, and through charitable donations to organizations within Worcester that specifically support and uplift LGBTQ+ individuals in the city.

Why in September?

Worcester has historically held pride events during September because many college students and members in the community temporarily move away from the state and to their respective hometowns during the typical Pride month of June. Celebrating in September also allows community members to attend Pride events during June all around the state without competing with neighboring towns and cities for attendance. You can learn more HERE.

Pride at the Park 2022: When Community and Festivity Drove Impact

2022 was one for the books! Drag Queens, Dancers, Flags, Fireworks, Music, LGBTQ+ Non-Profits, Local Queer Rockstars, Community groups and Fans came together to create an unforgettable night. The WooSox Foundation presented a check donation the Queer Youth Group, SWAGLY, to further our mission of positive local impact in our community. Take a look at this excerpt from our official news release:

"Worcester's annual celebration of LGBTQ+ individuals kicked off Friday, September 2, at Polar Park's "Pride at the Park," sponsored by George's Coney Island. The WooSox welcomed local individuals, organizations, and non-profits to celebrate and honor members of the LGBTQ+ community. Fans were treated to performances from drag queens, a raising of the Progressive Pride Flag and the Intersex Progressive Pride Flag, and capped off the night with a colorful fireworks display, set to the theme of "Love is All You Need....” READ THE REST HERE

Worcester-Area + Farther LGBTQ+ Resources

You don’t have to do this alone! Below you will find links to resources that can support LGBTQ+ individuals in the Worcester Area and beyond. Worcester is a resource-rich city with many groups that exist to support the needs and lives of queer individuals in the city.

Advocacy + Social Groups:

https://www.aidsprojectworcester.org/swagly/

https://eswa.org/about-us/lgbt/rainbow-lunch-club/

https://kivacenters.org/

https://www.prideworcester.org/

https://www.proudtobeinbaseball.org/

https://www.wearemass.org/rainbow-group

Healthcare + Behavioral Health Services:

https://fhcw.org/health-services/lgbtq-health-services/

https://www.kennedychc.org/services/lgbtq

https://www.mass.gov/doc/lgbtq-a-guide-for-working-with-youth-and-families/download

https://www.thehome.org/out-at-home

A Message to Our Fans

It is important that you know we emphatically welcome and include our LGBTQ+ guests who visit Polar Park and uphold our environment to standards that ensure equitable and safe treatment- whether you’re here to see a Worcester Red Sox baseball game or attend a Polar Park event. Please know that when you choose to visit our ballpark, we will welcome you and accept you not just regardless of your gender identity, presentation, or sexual identity but including it. Show up exactly as you are, and we’ll be glad you’re here to listen to the crack of the bat and join into the excitement of the crowd with us. We have a zero-tolerance policy at our ballpark for hate, harassment, abuse, and exclusion that extends to our employees, vendors, players, and guests. For many, many years LGBTQ+ people have been working to help the world of sports become a safer and more affirming environment for queer sports fans and players, and it’s up to those of us running these sports venues to help and uphold standards of equity and equality. You belong in sports, too, and we believe it.

If you feel that you have been subject to unfair treatment, please reach out to [email protected] or call us at (508) 500-1000 so we can set things right.

Be a Part of Pride at the Park 2023!

If you are:

A group looking to attend Pride at the Park 2023
A non-profit that services the LGBTQ+ community
An LGBTQ+ performance group, artist, entertainer, etc
A business that wants to sponsor, support, etc
And you want to participate in Pride at the Park in 2023…

PLEASE EMAIL OR CALL LAUREN DUTTON at [email protected] or 508-500-1000 ext. 1039