'Show that we exist': Lehigh Valley's LGBT community celebrates openness at annual Pride festival

Evan Jones, The Morning Call on Aug 17, 2025

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It wasn’t too hot to celebrate visibility on a humid Sunday afternoon.

Several thousand people converged on SteelStacks in south Bethlehem for the annual Lehigh Valley Pride celebration. Sponsored by Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, the event featured entertainment, arts and crafts, food and drink and more than 100 vendors.

Karen Van Gorden and Maureen Gramlich, both of Bethlehem, said they attend LV Pride annually, and said it has gotten better since it move from Allentown locations to SteelStacks three years ago.

Gramlich said it’s extremely important for the LGBT community to be in the open.

“There are things we can do now that we couldn’t do 15 years ago,” Gramlich said, “such as coming out to admit that you were gay or anything. It’s good that other people know they can come out and tell people.”

Matt Morella, who attended Muhlenberg College, said it’s important to be visible.

“When it’s hidden, this kind of implies that it’s something that is not correct, or something that’s not morally acceptable, versus when it’s out in the open, you’re not hiding, it’s the way you live, the way you are your life,” he said.

Lines to get through a short security check were long and within an hour of starting, the plaza by ArtsQuest Center was full. The stage at Levitt Pavilion featured several acts, including comedians, bands, DJs and singers.

In the air conditioning, there were activities for all ages. The Musikfest Cafe featured a drag queen story hour with Miss Amie, performances by Pennsylvania Youth Theatre and line dancing with Apple Ranch Line Dance. The second floor had an interfaith prayer area and a sensory space.

Vendors included several Lehigh Valley businesses and nonprofits, including medical facilities, churches and anti-trafficking organizations.

Jewelyn Butron, communication coordinator at Bradbury-Sullivan, said it’s more important than ever for the community to turn out in numbers with the current political situation.

“It’s important to show up every day,” she said, “to be ourselves. With the climate of the world and our government and what it seems like, it’s not the best time.

“It is the best time, because we need to show that we exist, the LGBTQIA+ community exists, and the more we show up, the more we come together as people, and it’s more visible, it allows others to feel safe,” she said.

Activists have said President Donald Trump has engaged in an unprecedented assault on the LGBTQ+ community since he returned to office this year, according to the Associated Press. Trump, who made anti-transgender messages a key part of his reelection campaign, has forced transgender service members out of the military and signed several executive orders affecting the LGBT community.

Deb Martin, a volunteer with the Parents of Trans Kids community group at Bradbury-Sullivan, said her group provides a safe space for parents to meet and discuss their feelings and provide resources for legal and medical issues.

The Lehigh County resident added that in the current climate, the group is needed more than ever. It set up a table for the first time at last year’s Lehigh Valley Pride, and she was surprised at the number of people seeking information.

“I thought in the current environment, it’s super valuable for us to be visible if we’re able to, because not everybody can be visible,” Martin said.

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