Rain couldn’t dampen Reading’s Pride: community shows up for 2025 parade and celebration
(6-minute read)
Photo by Carolyn Johnson.
On a rainy Saturday, June 7, 2025, the Reading community turned out in force to celebrate Pride Month, proving that neither storms nor soggy streets could dampen the town’s commitment to supporting its LGBTQ+ neighbors.
The annual Reading Pride Parade and Celebration drew approximately 150 participants, ranging from small children and young adults to parents and seniors, all coming together on the Town Common to celebrate love, diversity, and inclusion. Despite the wet weather, the skies briefly cleared during the celebration, much to the delight of the crowd.
Photo by Taylor Gregory.
Cheering stations along the route added to the festive spirit, showing broad community support even under umbrellas.
Rev. Emelia Attridge: an invocation of joy
Photo by Carolyn Johnson.
Rev. Emelia Attridge opened the event with an invocation and led the crowd in song, setting a welcoming and joyful tone for the celebration.
Laura Wilson: organizing with gratitude
Event organizer Laura Wilson expressed her gratitude to everyone who made the celebration possible. She reflected on her favorite part of Pride: the sign display that typically highlights community support from local organizations. Unfortunately, the display wasn’t present this year due to the rain, but the spirit of unity remained strong.
Sarah-Paul McCarty: representation matters
Sarah-Paul McCarty, an 11-year resident, delivered a powerful speech about representation and the importance of visibility.
“It’s easy to show up on a sunny day. It shows commitment to come out on a rainy day.”
Photo by Carolyn Johnson.
Sarah-Paul, a transgender woman and mother of three children in Reading Public Schools, reminded the crowd that she is just like every other parent - shopping at Market Basket, walking the same sidewalks, grabbing coffee at Caffé Nero. But she also knows what it’s like to move through the world with uncertainty, wondering if her identity will make her children’s lives harder.
“The only way to protect children is to show them that all people are worthy of love, respect, and truth.”
Sarah-Paul shared a deeply personal story of a fellow Reading parent who told her that seeing her at school drop-off gave her hope for her own transgender daughter.
“Seeing you here makes me feel hopeful, and I think it is important that you show up.”
Aaron Soto: a call to stand strong
Aaron Soto, a Reading Memorial High School student and owner of Expressive Apparel, spoke about his own journey of self-discovery, starting from reading his name in a book to launching his own business to create sensory-friendly binders.
“There has never been a time when we haven’t existed.”
Aaron reflected on the rise of anti-trans legislation across the country and emphasized the urgent need to stand together, resist erasure, and protect LGBTQ+ rights. He closed by reading a list of names of queer individuals who lost their lives in 2024.
Photo by Carolyn Johnson.
Recognizing advocacy and community
Laura Wilson presented the Reading Select Board’s 2025 Pride Resolution to Sarah-Paul in recognition of her advocacy and leadership in town.
Photo by Carolyn Johnson.
Asher Carnahan announced the day’s prizes:
Best Decorated Car: Erick Carpenter
Best Cheering Station: Rebecca Bailey
Laura closed the celebration by thanking the Reading Cultural Council for their grant support, along with the Reading Police Department, Department of Public Works, town staff, and POP Huddle members who made the event possible.
“That over a hundred people attended a Pride event in a torrential downpour says so much about the depth of our commitment to stand up and stand out for our LGBTQ+ community.”
Community reflections
Select Board member Karen Herrick participated in the parade for the first time this year, riding with the RE/MAX Herrick Home Team.
“Watching the annual Pride Parade is always a blast - but finally participating gave me the chance to see just how popular and important our Resolution and celebration are to so many residents. I’m so glad Madeleine Herrick encouraged us to be part of the fun. It’s a perfect opportunity for a small business to show their support for diversity and inclusion.”
Author’s reflection
Photo by Taylor Gregory.
This year, I had the privilege of driving in the Pride car parade for the first time with my spouse and one of our dogs. We were so happy to see the groups of people cheering along the parade route, despite the wet weather. The celebration and speeches that followed on the Common were empowering, moving, and truly created a feeling of community. I am so grateful to Laura Wilson for organizing this event and to the entire community for showing up in support of our LGBTQ+ neighbors.
The 2025 Reading Pride Parade and Celebration was a beautiful demonstration of solidarity and resilience. Rain or shine, Reading shows that it stands proudly with its LGBTQ+ community - unapologetically, joyfully, and together.
Photo by Taylor Gregory.
