The newly formed Pocono PRIDE Coalition - an outgrowth of the popular Pocono PRIDE Festival - invites all to celebrate the start of Pride Month at the first ever PRIDE Fest Kickoff and Champions of Pride Awards Ceremony to be held at Mount Airy Casino Resort on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m.

The event promises to be a night of inspiration and commemoration, bringing together Pocono LGBTQ+ activists, allies and supporters from all walks of life.

The Champions of Pride Awards Ceremony will recognize the region’s LGBTQ+ and Ally business owners, professionals and community leaders whose work and dedication empower and unite LGBTQ+ and allied people through their leadership, service and support.

The Pocono Pride Coalition also announces this year’s inaugural 2024 awardees to be honored at the event:

• Person of the Year: Corinne Goodwin, Executive Director and founder of Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, Person of the Year

• Business of the Year: Camp Out Poconos

• Ally of the Year: Mount Airy Casino Resort/Mount Airy Foundation

“This event is about celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community locally and across the entire Pocono Mountains Region,” said Benny Vukaj, Co-Founder of the Pocono PRIDE Festival and Board President of the Pocono PRIDE Coalition. “We couldn’t be prouder to welcome and honor those champions among us who foster and promote acceptance and inclusion.”

Tickets for the 21-and-over event are available and include light fare and musical performances by Rebel Stages, the Monroe County-based Visual and Performing Arts Center, under the direction of Brandon Hanks. A cash bar will also be available.

Tickets for the awards ceremony and kickoff party are required and are on sale at MountAiryCasino.com.

“Supporting our neighbors has always been an important component of Mount Airy Casino Resort,” said Lisa DeNaples, owner and managing trustee of Mount Airy Casino Resort and the Mount Airy Foundation, which selected the Pocono Pride Coalition as a $10,000 grant recipient this year. “I’m especially proud of our commitment to nonprofits in the surrounding community and in our efforts to ensure our giving impacts all people from all walks of life.”

“Mount Airy Casino Resort is excited to host the first ever Champions of Pride Awards Ceremony and honored to receive the Ally of the Year Award from the Pocono Pride Coalition,” said Ben Koff, Mount Airy COO and General Manager. “In addition to providing financial support, this recognition is also a reflection of our organization’s steadfast commitment to building a more vibrant and inclusive workforce.”

“We could not feel more honored to receive this recognition. Our team is always striving to maintain a welcoming environment at camp, but we are also vastly inspired by our community of campers, a group of people who proudly join us in our mission to further unite the Poconos,” said Camp Out Poconos Director Steve Louden. “Camp Out looks forward to a bright future for the greater Pocono community and will work tirelessly to strengthen those bonds.”

The actual 2024 Pocono PRIDE Festival will be Sunday on Courthouse Square in Stroudsburg.

On Saturday, Camp Out Poconos will host a series of events at their location, 446 Mt. Nebo Road, East Stroudsburg.

Now in its fourth year, this celebration of inclusion and empowerment in the heart of the Pocono Mountains will feature music and live entertainment on two stages, craft vendors, children’s activities, food trucks and so much more.

Local drag Kings/Queens and DJs will provide all-day entertainment and resource tables will be available for those seeking information and resources for staying safe and well.

For more information on Pocono PRIDE Fest, visit PoconoPrideFestival.com.