Fayette Pride Ready to Debut in Downtown Fayetteville

For the first time, Fayette County will host Fayette Pride, a family-friendly event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, on Saturday, August 1, inviting residents from across the region to gather in downtown Fayetteville for a parade, live entertainment, local vendors, and a day focused on community.

Organized by a volunteer board, Fayette Pride aims to create a welcoming space where people can celebrate, connect, and build community. The inaugural event will feature a 1.4-mile parade through downtown Fayetteville, Pride Market on the Historic Courthouse Square, live performances, food trucks, and official after-parties at local businesses.

Those interested in helping make history still have time to take part. Individuals, businesses, churches, civic organizations, nonprofits, clubs, and community groups have until July 15 to register to march in the inaugural Fayette Pride parade. Registration is available through the Participate section at www.fayettepride.org, with entry options for walking groups, vehicles, golf carts, floats, motor clubs, and bands. The parade will step off at 1 p.m. from the Fayette County Justice Center before making its way through downtown and past Pride Market.

“We are a group of volunteers that believed it was time for Fayette County to do this,” said Fayette Pride board member Nancy Musselwhite. “We wanted to create a celebration where people can be seen and be fully themselves.”

The idea grew from conversations among local volunteers who believed Fayette County was ready for its own Pride celebration. As organizers began planning, they sought guidance from established groups including Atlanta Pride, Griffin Pride, Carrollton Rainbow, and other community partners who shared advice and encouragement for launching a first-year event.

While volunteering at Griffin Pride’s inaugural celebration, Musselwhite watched one attendee light up after spotting familiar faces in the crowd.

“My neighbors are here. My neighbors are here,” the attendee told her, excited to discover for the first time that their neighbors were allies. For Musselwhite, it was a reminder that community often exists long before people realize it.

“Community matters,” Musselwhite said. “People love that this is their community, and that this community is acknowledging and embracing them.”

That spirit is reflected in Fayette Pride’s mission. Organizers say they hope to create a welcoming, joyful space where members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies can feel seen, supported, and connected while honoring those who came before them and helping build a more inclusive future for the next generation.

The celebration begins with Pride Market, open from noon until 5 p.m. around the Historic Courthouse Square. Organizers say all 39 vendor spaces have already been filled, and attendees can also enjoy four food trucks, live entertainment on the Main Stage, and performances by Grand Marshal TAYLOR ALXNDR, Southern Arc Dance, the Atlanta Women’s Chorus, vocalist Chris Pierce, a runway contest, a dance contest, and more.

The parade will be led by Fayette Pride banner carriers, followed by Grand Marshal TAYLOR ALXNDR, a drag performer, artist, and co-founder of Southern Fried Queer Pride. Fayetteville City Council Member Joe Clark, who was elected in 2019 and became Fayette County’s first openly gay council member, will ride in the second vehicle. Parade participants already include churches, community organizations, advocacy groups, musicians, and local nonprofits, with additional entries expected before the July 15 registration deadline.

As part of the commitment to being a family-friendly event, during Fayette Pride there will be a Kids Corner, featuring face painting, arts and crafts, bubbles and sidewalk chalk. 

After Pride Market closes, six downtown businesses — Awkward Brewing, Revival Wine Bar, Gremlin Growlers, Line Creek Brewing, Camp Brewing Company, and The Hummingbird Room — will host official after-parties featuring food and drink specials and entertainment.

Organizers have emphasized that Fayette Pride is designed as a family-friendly event, welcoming people of all ages to participate in the day’s activities.

Businesses and organizations interested in supporting Fayette Pride can still become event sponsors. Information about sponsorship opportunities and benefits, as well as parade registration, is available at www.fayettepride.org.

As Fayette County prepares to celebrate its first Fayette Pride, Musselwhite hopes the inaugural event leaves attendees with the same feeling she witnessed at another community’s first celebration — the realization that they are surrounded by neighbors, friends, and allies who are ready to celebrate alongside them.