NORTHAMPTON — Rain dampened everything but spirits during Saturday’s Pride parade in Northampton.
The midday downpour could not stop float personalities, marchers and spectators from lighting up a route stretching from the heart of downtown to the Three County Fairgrounds. Saturday’s parade drew about 25,000, said NoHo Pride spokeswoman JM Sorrell, which would make it the biggest crowd in its 35-year history.
“I think we settled the question of rain or shine in terms of turnout,” Sorrell said. “The commitment is there regardless of the weather.”
The only one not enjoying the day seemed to be a tiny terrier, whose wet hair and head hung low.
“Now there’s somebody who doesn’t look happy to be out in the rain,” said spectator Heather McCreary of Northampton.
Otherwise, from Hampshire County sheriff candidates to drag queens on stilts and doulas tossing candy, smiles abounded during Northampton Pride. The lines between parade marchers and watchers blurred as people in the parade stepped out of line to hug bystanders. And those who stayed in-line called out to parade-watchers.
“Happy Pride,” they shouted back and forth at each other in call-and-response fashion. Prepared for the weather, people carried parasols, twirling them as they walked down Main Street.
Anyone not paying attention to the float in front of their face was liable to get pelted with flying gobstoppers. Unable to let good candy lie, children scooted around, scooping up unclaimed treats from the glistening streets.
No one was too young to participate — a toddler strapped to the front of his mother leaned one cheek on her shoulder and waved a small rainbow flag with his left hand.
The Brass Republic blasted beats as people dressed like Mario and Luigi walked by wearing matching short shorts.
Sabine Ritchie, 4, of Easthampton sucked a lollipop and stared intently at the passing parade. Marchers threw fistfuls of candy her way.
“We’re scoring big today,” said Sabine’s mom, Lisa Ritchie, practically pleading with surrounding adults to take some of Sabine’s haul. But everyone graciously declined. “This is more candy than we’ve ever gotten before.”
“I’ll bring them in to my students,” said Ritchie, a schoolteacher at Four Rivers Charter Public School in Greenfield.
“Look at all the necklaces I got,” said Sabine, tugging proudly at three multicolored beaded necklaces hanging over her purple raincoat. She beamed as a fourth was tossed to her from a passing float.
Ritchie said events like these help show kids that love and compassion are a priority.
“They should never feel bad for who they are,” said Ritchie, looking at the spectacle and smiling. “It makes me proud to live in the Valley.”
Laura Boutin, 23, of Chicopee said the best part of Pride, the Diva’s dance party, was still to come.
“I can’t wait for tonight,” Boutin said. “Everybody’s happy.”
“It’s Pride Day,” interjected Heather McCreary, watching her wife march in the parade. “Our kids are 16 and we’ve come every year since they were born.”
McCreary said her children are still exploring their identities and Northampton is the perfect place to nurture that.
“We love living in Northampton,” she said. “(Our kids) are a little bit different and this is a great place for them to live.”
Fabienne Valdes and her husband, Erik Valdes, at Pride with their young daughter, agreed that the family aspect of Pride can be profound. Tears welled in Fabienne Valdes’ eyes as she cited a mother marching beside her transgender son as the most memorable moment for her in Saturday’s parade.
“It’s nice to see parents supporting their kids instead of kicking them out, because I moved out when I came out,” she said, adding that she relocated to the area with her ex-girlfriend before meeting her now-husband. “I cried — that was big for me.”
Erik and Fabienne Valdes said that as a biracial, queer-friendly couple it means everything for them to be able to bring their daughter to Pride.
“We didn’t have Pride parades growing up in Catholic Queens,” said Erik Valdes.
His wife said the tolerant nature of Northampton is what drew her to the Valley.
“We need this,” she said, watching her daughter chase her friend along the sidewalk. “We need to be comfortable.”
Another parade-watcher, Carey Morgan, has been coming to Pride in Northampton since she came out in 1978. She said she’s seen Pride evolve from a march to a parade. To see so many church and school groups marching Saturday, she said, was heartening.
“There’s more variety in who celebrates with us,” said Morgan. “And that is, in fact, something to celebrate.”
Amanda Drane can be reached at adrane@gazettenet.com.