‘Cville Pride’ Adds Events to its Weeklong Celebration

The 7^th annual Cville Pride Festival is scheduled to take place at Charlottesville’s Sprint Pavilion, from 11-7 on Saturday, September 15, following a week of diverse events planned for the community.

“This isn’t just a one-dimensional experience,” explains Cville Pride president, Amy-Sarah Marshall. “Even more than in previous years, Pride Week shows the broad diversity of identities within the LGBTQ community.”

Marshall notes that several gatherings that started last year have grown into year-round programs. “Both TransNightOut, a monthly gathering of trans folk, and the LGBTQ families group, with monthly playdates, have gained momentum.”

Additionally, the intersectional nature of the LGBTQ community will be explored in a special screening of Moonlight at the Violet Crown. Part of the UVA series Black Queer Cinema, which will be showing films throughout the fall, this partnership will give people a chance to “really dig into this film’s many facets and layers,” Marshall says. The film series is the results of a collaboration of the UVA departments of Women, Gender, and Sexuality; English; and Media Studies.

“This kind of partnership demonstrates the potential we have here in Charlottesville to bridge the academic and lived worlds and to keep exploring queer issues, both their historical roots and our evolving understandings.”

LightHouse Studios will also screen the film Weekend at the Vinegar Hill Theatre. In partnership with Cville Pride and Allison Partners, the movie will be followed by a discussion with Andre Cavalcante, assistant professor of Media Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality at UVA.

Marshall underscores that the list of events preceding the main pride event continues to grow. 

“We still have businesses coming to us with ideas of how they want to participate, beyond just offering discounts during Pride for those wearing wristbands,” she says. “It’s exciting that this city is embracing Pride as its own – truly showing pride about the vibrant cultural and economic contributions LGBTQ individuals bring to central Virginia.”

Cville Pride Week Events

Saturday, Sep. 8

Youth Pride Picnic, Tonsler Park, 2pm  – 6 pm

Open to all LGBTQ youth, all ages. Parents can also meet and talk.  Free food, free pride shirts & merchandise for youth!  Play games, have fun.

Sunday, Sep. 9

Family Playdate, Riverview Park, 1pm – 3pm

Come enjoy free treats, make crafts, hike, play on the playground.  Learn about all the fun, upcoming activities and outings happening this year.

Sunday, Sep. 9

Special Film Screening: “Weekend,” Vinegar Hill Theatre, 3pm

Directed by Andrew Haigh, creator of the HBO original series, “Looking” and the director of “45 Years,” and “Lean on Pete,” “Weekend” follows Russell, who after a drunken house party with his straight mates, heads out to a gay club. Just before closing time he picks up Glen, but what’s expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special.  This screening is presented in partnership with Cville Pride and Allison Partners, and will be followed by a discussion with Andre Cavalcante, assistant professor of Media Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality at UVA.

Monday, Sep. 10                                

Business & Professional Cocktails, CommonHouse, 5:30-7 pm

Tuesday, Sep. 11

Pride Karaoke Night, Rapture, 9pm

Wednesday, Sep. 12

Trans Night Out, The Pie Chest, 6pm – 8pm 

Thursday, Sept. 13

Singles Mingles, Violet Crown bar, 5pm – 7pm

Special Film Screening: “Moonlight,” Violet Crown, 7pm

FREE.  Brought to you by the UVA series Black Queer Cinema; sponsored by Violet Crown, Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality; the Department of English; the Department of Media Studies; C-Ville Pride. Dionte Harris, a doctoral fellow at UVA, will be doing a brief introduction for the film.

Friday, Sept. 14

Fridays After Five Pride Edition, Sprint Pavilion, 5:30pm – 8:30 pm 

Saturday, Sept. 15

Cville Pride Festival, Sprint Pavilion, 11pm – 7pm

Enjoy the performances, food & drink, vendors of all kinds.  Your Pride wristband will also get you discounts and freebies at businesses up and down the mall.

Pride After Party         Rapture                       8pm – 2am

Party time! DJ – in the house, drink specials, more.

Visit cvillepride.org for full Pride Week details and updates.

Charlottesville is not the only city in Virginia or North Carolina celebrating Pride in September.  Check out this list of regional festivals: