ALTON - Alton hosted its annual Pride Festival this weekend.
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On Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, community members gathered on Belle Street for a day of support and unity. Organized by Alton Pride, the festival aims to bring people together and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
“I think it’s going great,” said Festival Director Anne McCoy midday on Saturday. “All our vendors are happy and our food vendors are happy.”
Throughout the day, attendees could talk with vendors, listen to live music, enjoy drag shows, and watch wrestling matches.
McCoy noted that the festival welcomed back many vendors and sponsors this year. Alton Pride received “a tremendous response” from vendors who wanted to be a part of the festival.
This year’s theme — “Together, We Rise” — spoke to the unity that Alton Pride hopes to foster in the community. Organizers emphasized that the goal is to bring people together.
“We just have to stay united, and together, we’ll rise,” McCoy said. “We just have to stay united and have our Alton Pride Festival and just unite together.”
While the festival was a success, McCoy added that the organization is always looking for more volunteers and Board members who can contribute to their work. In addition to hosting the annual festival, Alton Pride sponsors scholarships and events for LGBTQ+ community members.
“We always need more volunteers, more people to join the Board to help make these things happen,” she explained. “The more people we have, the easier it is for all of us. We just hope to see more people get involved and help us to do this…We just hope it continues.”
For more information about Alton Pride, visit their official website at AltonPride.com.
