MACON, Ga. — Businesses in Macon are showing their support of the Macon Pride festival by participating a fundraiser next week.
On Tuesday, June 29, over 30 businesses are teaming up to donate 10% of their earnings to Macon Pride.
"There's nothing special that you have to do that day. Just do what you would normally do on a Tuesday; go shopping, eat out, visit your favorite shops and restaurants and they're going to do their part and give money to Macon Pride," said downtown business owner and Pride committee member, Scott Mitchell.
This year, organizers are planning a 4-day festival from Sept 23-26.
Events include 'Broadway Does Pride,' which will celebrate Pride through songs from Broadway, a drag show, a decades dance party, and many other events along with the main festival on September 25.
Macon Pride was started in 2019 in response to a string of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes that year. Organizers wanted a day of visibility for Macon's LGBTQ+ community.
The inaugural festival had more than 1,000 attendees, according to Michell.
"It was the most beautiful experience. It rained, the DJ continued to play music, and everyone danced in the rain. I mean, it couldn't have been a more beautifully, wholesome experience for the people that were in attendance, and this year is only going to be better," said Mitchell.
For Mitchell, the importance of Macon Pride is visibility. He said when he was growing up in Central Georgia he had no mentors or anyone to look up to.
"And it's so important for this generation to see that there's LGBT business owners, there are people that they can look up to in this community, and it is okay to be authentically your true self," he said.
You can donate to Macon Pride on their website.
Here are all the participating businesses in Tuesday's dine OUT + shop OUT for Pride:
- Travis Jean Emporium, The Bohemian Den, Frankie’s Boutique, Per Diem Market, Startup Studios, Birdsong Boutique, Comics Plus of Macon, Fresh Produce Records, Kay-Lynn Massage + Bodywork, William’s Fun Smart Toys, Parish, Reboot Retrocade, JBA, Fatty’s Pizza, LBV Italian, Oliver’s, Grow, Ingleside Village Pizza, Kinjo, Just Tap'd, Ocmulgee Brewpub, Fall Line Brewery, Lazy Susan Tapas Bar, Ricky’s Taco Shop, Society Garden, Famous Mike’s, The Rookery, Dovetail, H&H Soul Food, Fountain of Juice, Romo’s Pizza, El Sombrero on Forsyth, Macon Beer Company, and Z Beans Coffee Downtown
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