Rockford Pride Alley Party Drag Queen Aunty Heroine
Aunty Heroine will host a drag show Saturday as part of The Office NiteClub’s Pride Alley Party. (Photo provided by Aunty Heroine)
By Chelsea Meyer
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The Office NiteClub is kicking off Pride Month celebrations this weekend with a party that brings food trucks, music and other entertainment to downtown.

The festivities begin at 1 p.m. Saturday with a parade down State Street from Rockford University to the night club, 513 E. State St. Then the Pride Alley Party goes from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. There are pop-up drag performances, live bands, DJs, raffles, drag queen bingo and more.

Pride Month is a time for every individual to be proud of who they are and for the LGBTQIA+ community to celebrate who they are and who they love.

“There are a lot of crazy things going on in the country right now, where a lot of people are having to face stepping back into the closet,” drag performer Aunty Heroine said in an interview Tuesday on the B103 Morning Routine. “A lot of people are afraid of what is happening with their rights, so right now is a time to celebrate who you are as a person and be out and proud.”

Related: Meet Rockford’s accidental influencer: Jeniece Smith helps Tomboy X launch Pride prints

Aunty Heroine is hosting a drag show as part of the festivities. She said seeing others display pride helped her as a child.

“I saw another queer individual one day being themselves as a kid, and I said, ‘You know what, I can do that too,'” Aunty Heroine said on B103. “And that’s why you should always be yourself because young people are watching you.”

The Pride Alley Party also features guest speakers and the dance band Minimal will headline.

Hundreds in the LGBQTIA+ community as well as friends and allies are expected to attend. This event is free and open to the public of all ages.

The Office NiteClub
The Office NiteClub is located at 513 E. State St. in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

This article is by Chelsea Meyer. She can be reached at chelsea@b103fm.com

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