2 days ago
Pride on High viewing area to benefit Columbus LGBTQ+ groups
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Those heading to the Stonewall Columbus Pride March this weekend can reserve their spot at a special viewing area that benefits central Ohio LGBTQ+ organizations.
Boasted as the ultimate parade watching experience, Pride on High is a ticketed event allowing guests to view the march from Parlay Sports Club and Kitchen, Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, or the recently opened El Vaquero. The event is the only one in the Short North offering live entertainment, food and beverages during the parade, along with shade and private restrooms.
In its 15th year, Pride on High was created by organizer Mike Maly and his husband, who noticed in 2010 that nearly all of the restaurants in the Short North were closed during the Pride march. Watch a previous NBC4 report on Pride on High in the video player above.
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'All of the restaurants were closed for the Pride parade, and my husband and I actually went down to Hyde Park and there was a high-top table, an umbrella and two chairs, and we sat there,' Maly said. 'That following Monday, I called them and said, 'Would you consider being open?' And that was the start.'
Their first year, Pride on High just welcomed 25 guests. But the event has steadily grown, from about 440 attendees right before the COVID-19 pandemic to more than 770 last year.
Tickets to Pride on High cost $75 per person, with every dollar benefiting the LGBTQ+ organization of your choosing: Stonewall Columbus, Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Equality Ohio, or Mozaic by Equitas Health, a community center for transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary Ohioans.
'The mission is to bring the Columbus community together and provide funding for LGBTQ+ youth and community initiatives that, in turn, provides resources for a safe, educated and healthy future,' Maly said. 'Each and every one of these organizations, I know exactly where every dollar goes, and it's not wasted.'
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NBC4 will be streaming the march from Pride on High, with anchor Colleen Marshall hosting alongside Columbus drag queen Virginia West and Amber Nicole, who will be performing two songs before the parade.
Maly said this year, 'It's important for everyone to be seen, to be heard, to celebrate who we are' in the wake of federal measures and legislation at the Ohio Statehouse that opponents deem 'anti-LGBTQ+.' Maly said the rhetoric is having a tangible effect on Pride on High, as sales are down 50% compared to this time last year.
'I think with the political environment and everything that's going on out there, it's impacting the sales,' Maly said. 'This has been very tough this year. I've worked for over 30 years and making people's lives better and making sure that kids have a better future, and that's what keeps me going.'
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While ticket sales may be down, Maly said donations to operate Pride on High are higher than they've ever been before.
'That tells me that there are people out there that truly do believe in who we are, what we are, what we bring to the world, and this is ridiculous what we're going through right now,' Maly said. 'Hopefully, we'll get some of the folks to come and join the party.'
Learn more about Pride on High and purchase tickets here.
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