Meet the humans of Newark's Pride Festival
On Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, more than 100 people gathered at the Canal Market District in Newark to celebrate the city's annual Pride Festival.
The festival was hosted by the Newark Ohio Pride Coalition, and brought vendors, performers and community resources to the city in honor of LGBTQ+ History Month.
This is a feature in a continuing series depicting the lives of the people of Licking County.
Answers have been edited for clarity.
Avalee Carver. Photo by Brie Coleman
Avalee Carver. Photo by Brie Coleman
Avalee Carver
Newark Ohio Pride Coalition vice president
“Newark Pride is the first time I ever saw people feel true love. It was the first time I realized how many people in my network were scared in the community that they were in, who really needed a place to be open and to feel supported. And so to me, that's what this is. This is the time of year where every person can come together and find the people who are going to love and support them.”
“We have people of all ages, all colors, all creeds. Everyone comes. You find people that you've seen around town, that you never would have crossed paths with, that you're in different circles, and then today, you're in the same circle. And so it's nice to see that the community that I see outside of Pride, that I didn't think was my community, being part of community today.”
Christopher and James Crawford-Prado
“We’ve always had fun and felt very welcome here, so this is our third year coming out here with Newark to end the pride season,” Christopher Crawford-Prado said.
The two have lived in Columbus for the last six years, and have been a couple for the past 23. They got married five years ago in Texas and just recently renewed their vows in Ohio.
“That’s the fun part: When we say we’ve been together for 23 years, sometimes people say ‘oh, I’m not even that old.’ It’s fun to see people out here of all ages that are even younger than we’ve been married or together and they're out here being their true selves,” Christopher said.
“Pride, to me, means being able to be out and be yourself. This was one of the first prides we went to — three or four years ago, when they first had their first one — that we saw a range of kids and adults young to older and they were being their true authentic selves. That’s what pride is to me. It’s being you,” Christopher said.
Christopher Crawford-Prado makes resin snowflakes and rainbow pride bracelets to pass out at each festival he attends. With these gifts he includes a card reading, “thank you for being you.”
Tero, center, waves a rainbow flag while Pride attendees marched around the Licking County Courthouse. Photo by Ella Diehl
Tero, center, waves a rainbow flag while Pride attendees marched around the Licking County Courthouse. Photo by Ella Diehl
Tero
“I’m here to support my community, I’m also here to support my parents who actually helped set up everything. It’s my community and I love my community dearly,” Tero said.
“Pride means taking pride in who you are and what you believe in. Love is love!”
Emma Chapman. Photo by Talya Dersu
Emma Chapman. Photo by Talya Dersu
Emma Chapman
United Way of Licking County
“I'm here supporting United Way. We have an affinity group called United in Pride. This is our LGBTQ+ affinity group to support the community in Licking County. We are here to support and make people feel like part of the community,” Chapman said. “To me, community means a sense of belonging for everyone. It’s a system that supports people and works together and collaborates.
“Pride means being unapologetic about who you are and what you believe in. Not being afraid to say, I'm here, I am supporting people and these are things that I believe.”
Ashley Washburn, left, and Chance, right, tabled at Newark Pride on behalf of Family Health Services of East Central Ohio, where Washburn is the director. Photo by Brie Coleman
Ashley Washburn, left, and Chance, right, tabled at Newark Pride on behalf of Family Health Services of East Central Ohio, where Washburn is the director. Photo by Brie Coleman
Ashley Washburn
Family Health Services of East Central Ohio
“We provide stigma-free healthcare to all. So targeting people who need to be treated equal in their healthcare is very important in Licking County to me,” Washburn said. “People showing up for the same cause together as one —it's beautiful. That's community to me.”
Lydia Bowls. Photo by Ella Diehl
Lydia Bowls. Photo by Ella Diehl
Lydia Bowls
Be Beauty Studio
“Pride events are my favorite place to go,” Bowls said. “I’m a social worker. I want the things that I make to help people feel a certain way, hopefully just at minimum joy, but maybe something deeper, too.”
Linda Mossholder. Photo by Talya Dersu
Linda Mossholder. Photo by Talya Dersu
Linda Mossholder
United Church of Granville
“We are the church that has the pride flag hanging from the door. I’m here just to let people know that there are churches that are welcoming and affirming that you can feel comfortable. That’s important for a lot of people. We come every year, hand out free stuff, and encourage people if they are looking for a church to come. I also just tell them to come in and look at the stained glass windows on Sunday morning, the sun comes in through one of the windows. It’s just beautiful, all the colors of the stained glass get reflected on the floor. It’s a place where you can come and feel that you are loved. That’s hard nowadays.”
“We just want people to know that there is a safe environment for them,” she added. “Some people don’t have their own voice and I can safely be a voice for them. I’m old. No one is going to mess with me.”
Chelsea Cellar. Photo by Tyler Thompson
Chelsea Cellar. Photo by Tyler Thompson
Chelsea Cellar
Odds & Friends
Odds & Friends is a collection of four to six artists who share booth space at festivals like Newark Pride. Cellar specializes in pysanky, a traditional Ukrainian art form of decorating eggs using dyes and wax.
“I love seeing the community come out and enjoy and celebrate. I know a lot of people are like, 'Oh, it's strange that there's a pride event during October.' But October is LGBTQ+ History Month.”
“It's just so healing, frankly, as a queer person, to get into these spaces where there are tons of people from our community all coming together to celebrate and enjoy and just be ourselves.”
“Looking around, we see people that are comfortable being themselves. They are feeling supported by all of the people here.”
Brie Coleman, Talya Dersu, Ella Diehl and Tyler Thompson write for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.
Built with Shorthand