PHILADELPHIA, PA, May 30, 2024—Sofitel in Rittenhouse Square hosted Philadelphia’s annual PRIDE Month preview, along with announcements from Representatives of the Hotel, Philly Gay PRIDE Month, Philly’s Drag Mafia, Galaei, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Philly, Center City District, and elected officials.
As Sofitel hosted Philadelphia’s PRIDE month announcements, their own PRIDE Flag was revealed, serving as a backdrop for each speaker at the podium.
Kory Aversa, the Co-Organizer and Chair of Philly Gay PRIDE Month and Owner of Aversa PR, was at Sofitel Philadelphia to help kick off the month-long celebrations in June.
“We started the initiative in 2021 as a way to bring the city together and make sure the pandemic didn’t take away the PRIDE of Philadelphia. We wanted to see the small businesses thrive and see our community come together out of the pandemic,” stated Aversa. He continued, “Since the pandemic, this is the biggest year, the biggest events, and of course, the biggest flag [which is] 400 feet long.”
Pierre Jotterand, Sofitel Philadelphia’s General Manager, also announced the upcoming events and openings, including the newly renovated interior and the grand opening of Liberté Lounge.
“Sofitel Philadelphia is very passionate about supporting our very own local community,” stated Pierre Jotterand. “We are prouder than ever to celebrate June as Philly Pride Month and fly a giant Philadelphia Pride rainbow flag outside the hotel at 17th and Sansom to show our commitment to inclusivity and diversity. We are also excited to present our largest line-up ever for Pride Month with our signature Pride Drag Tea, hosting Our Night Out, supporting our local charity partner, and hosting our first Pride Month closing party. We invite you to stop by and join us during Pride Month – we are honored to welcome and celebrate with the entire community.”
Tyrell Brown, Director of Galaei, spoke about the importance of PRIDE and Galaei’s mission to increase visibility within the communities to be seen and heard no matter where you live, not just for individuals of the LGBTQ+ living in Philadelphia’s Gayborhood region, but to create visibility and acceptance wherever you live. Tyrell then listed the locations where the 400-foot PRIDE Flag would be shown.
With each speaker that stepped up to the podium–the crowd surrounding the announcement event grew. People stopped to listen and applaud, and when vehicles passed by, drivers honked in celebration.
As part of the kick-off and celebration, America’s largest PRIDE flag was revealed the following day. The flag spanned the full length of stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum, looking like a waterfall of PRIDE colors descending the famous Rocky steps, a scene which also drew applause and honks from people passing by.
If you would like to celebrate PRIDE by attending the events happening at Sofitel Philadelphia, please visit https://www.sofitel-philadelphia.com.
For more information regarding the PRIDE events in June in Philadelphia, please visit https://www.phillygaypride.com.
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