South County Pride to Hold Annual Parade June 13

In the darkest hours of the COVID lockdown, former South Kingstown High School student Magnolia Longworth dared to dream of a way to circumvent the mass cancellations. With fellow organizer Evan Travis, the two established an event that has quickly become one of South County’s most vibrant annual traditions: the South County Pride Parade. What began in 2020 as a scrappy, socially distanced car parade has since grown into something far bigger – a bold, joyful expression of visibility, belonging, and Washington County identity.

South County Pride (SCP) distinguishes itself from larger metropolitan Pride festivals by emphasizing hyper-local engagement and envisioning something more intimate than an urban display: a celebration rooted in familiar faces, neighborhood businesses, and intergenerational participation. The goal was not simply visibility but belonging; demonstrating that LGBTQIA+ life and history are not confined to city centers but are embedded everywhere. Following the success of the 2021 parade, Longworth and Travis made it their mission to ensure the event’s continuity. As her senior class project, Longworth created the South County Pride Foundation, and through generous sponsorships and donations from local and statewide entities, the foundation has awarded multiple “Elder” and “Youth” scholarships since 2024.

Coming out of the pandemic and being centered on Main Street in Wakefield, the volunteer board realized the importance of community building. Their most important connection was with The Contemporary Theater Company, where they were welcomed by General Manager Maggie Cady, who says the theater’s riverfront patio was the perfect setting for a festival. “Theater has always been a place where LGBTQIA+ folks can come to feel safe and express themselves, and that is vitally important to us,” she notes. “Our mission is to build the culture of our local, global, and artistic communities as we want them to be: inclusive, supportive, ambitious, playful, and kind.”

Other partners include the Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC) at the University of Rhode Island and Queer South County. With a footprint that ripples outward from Kingston, the University has become a key supporter, and Manuela Vadis, assistant director of the GSC, describes their cooperation not only by co-hosting programs, but also by building a more coordinated ecosystem of support that advances belonging by “creating leadership and engagement pathways for students, and strengthening initiatives that combat bias.”

Partnering with Queer South County (QSC), the foundation sought to support the LGBTQIA+ community by helping it thrive locally through regular meetups, events, and making resources available. Organizer Marissa Giroux of QSC explains, “Our partnership with SCP is mutually beneficial because we plan events year-round to continue supporting the rural queer community. We are able to fundraise through their incredible organization to help offset the costs of events, so they are not cost-prohibitive for attendees.”

LeClair points to the success they’ve achieved, but also looks forward to expanding their outreach to strengthen their donor base. They’re quick to point out the generosity of the Wakefield Village Association for promoting the parade every year and scheduling RiverFire events in coordination with Pride celebrations. This year’s South County Pride Festival is scheduled for June 13 from noon to 7pm and continues to expand in both scale and significance. The afternoon features not only a parade but also live music, drag performances, storytelling, and a wide array of local vendors and community organizations, food trucks, and performers on outdoor stages, where families can mingle alongside activists, artists, and small business owners. Learn more at SouthCountyPride.org.