Five years ago Princeton held their first Pride Parade. I'm not sure if they have held one since 2019. A quick Google search brings up the letter the Rustin Center sent to the community thanking them for the 2019 parade, but no mention of a parade since then.
Held on the last Saturday of Pride Month, my thoughts on this year's parade echo the ones I had in 2019, it felt very Princeton. It was a sedate, suburban event with more people in the parade than watching it. I positioned myself under a shade tree near the end of the route at Princeton's YMCA and took pictures. It started thirty minutes earlier in a field near the police station. You know there are not many participants when those in the parade were plying me with swag so they didn't have to carry it home.
Many local non-profits, for profits (Stark & Stark and at least one other company), and numerous churches participated. It was heavy on the walking and light on the floats. Taking place after the end of the school year, no schools participated. I didn't notice any big names, or even any politicians (in 2019 Gov. Murphy participated with his wife, Tammy).
It was okay. Not worth traveling a great distance for, but also not offensive in any way. I enjoyed seeing the person walking with her snake, and the kid walking with his bearded dragon more than anything else.
After the last group passed me I glanced to my left and saw our girls melting in the grass under a shade tree. They marched in the parade. Again, hardly anyone watched it. The organizers are pleased so many people supported them. The marchers wished they had a few more people cheering them on. I bought a scoop of chocolate orange ice cream from the bent spoon cart and called it a day.
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