Ashtabula Pride is hitting pause on its big June waterfront festival, shelving the blowout event in favor of smaller pop-up gatherings and continued scholarship work this year. The volunteer-run nonprofit says a shrinking core of helpers and softer sponsorships made a full-scale festival unrealistic, a tough blow in a harbor town that packed Walnut Beach with thousands of Pride-goers last summer.
Organizers broke the news on social media, then laid out the details in an interview with The Buckeye Flame, saying they no longer have "the physical support or financial backing necessary to create a festival of this magnitude." Executive director Becke Powell told the outlet that several key volunteers have moved away or cannot commit the time needed this year.
Festival history on the waterfront
The festival has recently called Walnut Beach in the Ashtabula Harbor home, turning the shoreline into a rainbow-soaked summer draw. Star Beacon photos from the 2025 event show community performers on the beach stage and crowds filling the sand. The group’s rapid growth since its founding in 2021 has made this year’s regrouping especially noticeable for residents and local businesses that build their summer around tourism and events.
What organizers say they'll do instead
Ashtabula Pride’s website says the organization will pivot to a slimmer 2026 calendar, which includes the Synjin Sheneman Memorial PRIDE Art Show, queer cabarets and other pop-up programming, while continuing to administer the Bill DayWalt Scholarship even if award amounts dip this year. The group notes on its site that the 2025 festival drew about 4,000 people and more than 100 vendors, and it is openly calling for volunteers and sponsors to help bring back a full waterfront festival down the line. Ashtabula Pride Inc. is posting updates and volunteer sign-ups on its site.
Community reaction and next steps
Reaction online has ranged from heartbreak to resolve, with some locals saying they were "devastated" and others urging neighbors to roll up their sleeves and get involved. Powell told The Buckeye Flame that "we're not going to disappear" and encouraged community members to step in so a larger celebration can return in future years.
How to help
Anyone interested in volunteering, sponsoring or keeping tabs on the smaller Pride events planned in Ashtabula can find details and sign-up links on Ashtabula Pride’s website. Organizers say that stronger local participation this year would boost the chances of restoring a full-scale festival in 2027.
