Hampshire Pride Community Standards 

Our Approach: Pride for Joy and Pride for Community

Hampshire Pride carries forward the legacy of Northampton Pride and Noho Pride; and continues to grow with our community. In recent years, Pride in Hampshire County has increasingly become a mixed-age, public community event, welcoming LGBTQ+ adults, elders, youth, and families with children — all of whom deserve space to celebrate, connect, and feel safe.

At the same time, Pride does not exist in a vacuum. Our community continues to be impacted by intensified political attacks on LGBTQ+ people, especially trans and gender-diverse people and drag artists, including the rapid growth of anti-trans legislation across the United States. We remain committed to celebrating Pride boldly while also protecting our community and ensuring participants can gather safely and accessibly in public spaces.

After the COVID-19 pandemic hiatus, our Pride Parade was redeveloped in 2023. That return was shaped both by the desire to gather again in joy and by the urgency of showing up publicly for LGBTQ+ visibility during a period of heightened anti-trans rhetoric and legislation. That context influenced our daytime programming: a Pride experience that remains celebratory and welcoming to a broad community audience.

We recognize that Pride has many roles: celebration, remembrance, resistance, and protest. When times feel safer, Pride can lean more fully into celebration. When times become more threatening, the need to organize and protest becomes more urgent. The needs of our community shift, and we aim to evolve with them.

In 2026, due to major redesign work on our vendor market and festival layout, we are not able to fully expand into multiple simultaneous event experiences yet. However, we are actively planning toward a second Pride experience beginning 2027, so we can better support both:

  • youth-centered Pride community-building and support

                                      and

  • adult-centered Pride expression, performance, and protest.

Coming in 2027: Hampshire Pride Jr.

Beginning next year, we plan to introduce Hampshire Pride Jr., a Pride made specifically for youth, held on the Sunday following the Hampshire Pride Festival. This will allow Saturday to hold more adult-forward themes and energy, while Sunday creates a dedicated space for children and youth-focused celebration and support. This will include a second youth parade and a Pride Jr. festival in Florence.


Hampshire Pride Code of Conduct

Applies to all participants: vendors, entertainers, speakers, volunteers, drag performers, parade participants, and attendees.

Hampshire Pride is a community celebration in a public space. We welcome people of all ages, backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. By participating in Hampshire Pride events, you agree to uphold the following:

Respect & Community Care

Treat others with dignity. Harassment, intimidation, threats, or unwanted contact are not permitted.

This includes (but isn’t limited to): discrimination, bullying, stalking, or targeting anyone based on identity (including race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, immigration status, or body size).

Consent & Boundaries

Pride is joyful — and consent matters.

  • Ask before touching someone, hugging, or taking close-up photos/videos.

  • Do not grab items, props, or clothing that do not belong to you.

  • Respect “no,” body language, and boundaries immediately.

  • Do not follow or repeatedly approach someone who has disengaged.

No Hate Speech / Slurs

Hate speech and derogatory slurs aimed at any marginalized group are not permitted.

Nuance matters: We recognize that some LGBTQ+ community members reclaim language (for example: “dyke,” “fag,” etc.) in affirming, identity-based ways. Reclaimed language used in-community is different from hate speech directed at others.

However, racial/ethnic slurs, antisemitic slurs, Islamophobic slurs, and other identity-based slurs used to degrade, intimidate, or threaten are never allowed, regardless of intent.

Mindful Language for Speakers & Performers (Amplified Content)

Because Hampshire Pride includes a mixed-age community audience, we ask that speakers and performers be mindful during daytime events (before 6:00 PM).

  • Speakers, stage performers, MCs, DJs, and any amplified performance/audio must avoid explicit language.

  • Music and tracks played on or near the main stage must be clean / radio edit (no explicit lyrics).

  • We celebrate passionate, political messaging and free expression, including signage. We are limiting amplified spoken content and curated stage performances to keep the environment welcoming and accessible for all ages.

No Nudity (Massachusetts Law)

Hampshire Pride does not permit nudity during daytime events and mixed-age community programming, as defined under Massachusetts law (see M.G.L. c. 272, § 31).

6) No Other Inappropriate Activity (Sexual or Violent Conduct)

To maintain a safe Pride environment in public spaces:

  • No simulated or explicit sexual conduct.

  • No violent conduct, intimidation, or threats.

Clean Up & Respect the Space

Help us leave Northampton better than we found it:

  • Dispose of trash properly.

  • Respect vendor spaces, park areas, and public property.

  • Follow instructions from Hampshire Pride staff, volunteers, and city/public safety officials.

Follow Staff Direction

Hampshire Pride staff and volunteers are here to keep everyone safe and supported. Participants are expected to follow guidance from Pride staff and volunteers, especially regarding safety concerns and crowd management.

Violation Response

Hampshire Pride reserves the right to ask anyone to leave, end a performance, remove a vendor/participant, or terminate participation for violating this Code of Conduct. Serious issues may be referred to event security and/or local authorities.