Ridgewood prepares for Pride Marketplace on June 7
Ridgewood's Pride Marketplace — planned for June 7 — will celebrate the LGBTQ community with what organizers say is more fervor and enthusiasm than ever.
Markets, a marching band and several guest speakers like the chief of police will come together at Van Neste Square, according to Ridgewood Mayor Paul Vagianos, who is among the organizers of this year's event, which begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m.
"We reached out to so many people and not one person said 'No,' or 'I don't have time,'" Vagianos said. "They were all so excited to be included and to be part of this celebration."
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While prior pride events in the town were only an hour long, this year's Pride Marketplace will run for seven hours in order to highlight the various vendors, as well as other fun additions like a bouncy house for kids.
Various organizations are also joining in on the festivities, including the Ridgewood Arts Foundation and the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood.
Kristen Plumley, the president of Ridgewood Friends of Music, explained how music plays a major role in this year's celebration.
"I offered to have a marching band, and I said, 'I'll talk to [marching band instructor] Mr. Luckenbill at the high school. Maybe he could get some students together,' " explained Plumley. "Nothing says 'Hey, let's get together' like a marching band, right? So, they'll come marching through the park and they'll go up to the flagpole and start the actual event. Then we'll have speeches and singing, and that'll be great."
While this year's celebration will be the village's most ambitious LGBTQ effort, this event comes after seven previous years of smaller steps forward. Siobhan Winograd, who serves on the Ridgewood village council, believes that the event has gotten better each year.
"The original request came in 2017 from the Community Relations Advisory Board, which was an official board supporting the council. And then when I took my seat, we formally established a committee in 2023 by resolution," said Winograd. "We did the logo branding, and this month you'll see the village logo is in rainbow. It's extremely important and I think it represents what Ridgewood wants."
Winograd was the event's village council liaison in 2023 and 2024. This year, Vagianos is taking up the mantle with a desire to spread awareness and positivity about an increasingly contentious issue.
"Eight years ago, I owned a restaurant and put up a pride flag in front of it. And many friends came up to me and said, 'You know, Paul, that's not such a good idea because people will see that and they won't come to your restaurant.' And I said, 'Yeah, well that would be their issue,' " explained Vagianos.
"But I look at it as my responsibility as a more visible member of the community that they will look at that pride flag and say, hmm, I know that guy. He seems like a decent guy. Maybe he's onto something."
To Vagianos, pride isn't just about celebrating differences — it's about spreading awareness that, deep down, the people of Ridgewood have far more in common.
"There's nothing different about any of us," Vagianos said. "We may look different, we may act different, we may pray differently, we may love differently, but we're all the same. And this community recognizes that."
While Ridgewood's festivities officially end after Saturday, the messaging is clear: no matter the day, month or year, all walks of life are welcomed with open arms.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ridgewood prepares for Pride Marketplace on June 7
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