WAS BEING HELD. HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND LANCASTER’S SOUTHERN MARKET IS THE PLACE TO RELAX AND UNWIND BUT TONIGHT IT SERVES AN EVEN GREATER PURPOSE A SAFE PLACE FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND ITS ALLIES AND IT’S JUST SO IMPORTANT JUST BEING WHO YOU ARE NOT BEING A CLOSER ONLY MEANT FOR THE CLOSET. THIS EVENT IS ONE OF MANY THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THROUGHOUT PRIDE MONTH EACH ONE SERVING AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE THEMSELVES. IT’S DIFFICULT BEING QUEER AND A ENVIRONMENT THAT’S CAN BE VERY HOSTILE AND WHEN YOU COME TO EVENTS LIKE THIS YOU FEEL WELCOME. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE AMONG FRIENDS. YOU DON’T HAVE TO PRETEND TO BE SOMEBODY YOU’RE NOT AS BANDS PLAY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS ARE BONDING OVER FOOD AND DRINKS LANCASTER COUNTY IS JUST A GREAT COMMUNITY AND THERE’S SO MANY ALLIES IT JUST SUPPORTING EVERYBODY AND I THINK EVERYBODY FELT SAFE AND EXCITED TO COME OUT JONATHAN CLAY SAYS THAT PROGRESS IS SOMETHING THAT’S IMPROVED YEAR AFTER YEAR. IT’S REALLY A TESTIMONY TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ONLY PART OF THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, BUT OF ALSO ALLIES WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT JUST BECAUSE PRIDE MONTH IS OVER LANCASTER PRIDE IN THE COALITION ALWAYS HAS EVENTS GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR JUNE IS NOT OUR ONLY TIME TO CELEBRATE IN LANCA