WORCESTER—Just hours before the city’s largest LGBTQ+ festival, Pride Worcester organizers released a statement expressing frustration with the city over what they call unfulfilled commitments and procedural hurdles, while also showing excitement for the upcoming weekend celebrations.
The statement, released Thursday, comes amid ongoing discussions about the city’s promise to declare Worcester a sanctuary city for queer and gender-diverse people and establish a $500,000 Trans Resiliency Fund.
Those pledges date back to January, when the city council passed resolutions calling on City Manager Eric Batista to work with LGBTQIA+ organizations on a safety action plan and approving the creation of the resiliency fund.
The measures followed a tense City Hall rally in support of Councilor Thu Nguyen, who took a leave of absence citing discrimination and transphobia. At the time, speakers urged the city to back words with money and concrete action, stressing that symbolic gestures were not enough. The council ultimately voted unanimously to move forward on the action plan and 10–1 to approve the fund.
Pride Worcester said that more than seven months after a city council resolution passed, those commitments remain unfulfilled.
“In 2025, our community continues to face direct legislative and authoritarian attacks,” the Pride Worcester Board wrote. “Pride Worcester believes it is our highest responsibility to show up for our people, and we expect the same from our elected officials. Photo ops are not enough.”
Organizers also pointed to challenges navigating the city’s permitting process. Despite months of planning and adherence to protocols, Pride Worcester said they encountered last-minute financial demands, including warnings that failure to comply could jeopardize future festival permits.
In response, city spokesperson Tom Matthews, speaking on behalf of City Manager Eric Batista, said Batista only recently became aware of the issue. “City Manager Batista just became aware of last-minute costs applied to the Worcester Pride Festival by a third party for emergency services which are not managed by the municipality,” Matthews said in a statement.
“The city manager has since spoken with that agency as well as festival organizers and rectified the situation. While the municipality has and continues to make enhancements to the special event planning and permitting process, we recognize there are still obstacles organizers face relative to the process, and we are working to further reduce barriers. The Worcester Pride Festival is a significant cultural celebration that the municipality is proud of. We look forward to their continued growth and success here in downtown Worcester.”
The board clarified that the annual flag-raising ceremony at City Hall is not a Pride Worcester-hosted event, noting past mistakes with the city’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including the raising of an incorrect flag. The organization said that while it supports the community attending the event, its presence should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the city’s commitments.
Adding further clarity, Guillermo Creamer Jr., host of the City Hall flag-raising ceremony, shared a video statement ahead of Friday’s event. Creamer, chairperson of the city’s Human Rights Commission and a 2023 at-large council candidate, emphasized that he is hosting the ceremony in his capacity as a resident of Worcester, not as an official city event.
“There are lots of comments and questions over tomorrow’s flag raising. I want to preface this by saying I’m the one who is hosting it, the city is not hosting it. I’m hosting it in capacity as a citizen of the city. But also I am the chair of the human rights commission, an individual who’s pretty active in the city,” Creamer said.
He explained that his motivation came from community members who reached out to him to share that they were saddened by the absence of a Pride flag at City Hall this year.
“Now does the city still need to grow and do more to ensure that LGBTQ plus people feel really included here?” Creamer asked. “Absolutely, but I also think of the importance of seeing that flag fly and so I took it upon myself without a commitment from an organization, without connection through the different organizations or elected officials, to really kind of push for something that I think is important.”
He confirmed the timing of the flag raising: “So Friday at 11 a.m., right before some of the most important and critical events that our queer communities have here in the city of Worcester at the Queer Eye Fashion Show, the march that’s happening Saturday and also the block parties are happening on Saturday and of course the festival, I found it to be really important to ensure that that Pride flag flew.”
Creamer also clarified the city’s flag policy. He explained that the Pride flag will go up Friday at 11 a.m. because city rules allow a flag to be displayed for one business day, meaning it will remain through Monday. He added that the Human Rights Commission has been working to update this policy.
Acknowledging the range of opinions surrounding the flag raising, Creamer said, “Active conversations are being had and resolution takes time. My commitment to ensuring the Pride flag flies will stand.” He encouraged community members to join him for the flag raising.
“I’m grateful that Pride Worcester will be there in solidarity and understand the decisions that have been made,” Creamer continued. “Have fun, stay safe, and have a great Pride weekend.”
“Thousands of people will gather in the heart of our city to celebrate joy, resilience, and love downtown,” the Pride Worcester statement continued. “We’re proud to stand in solidarity with our community, our allies, and the hundreds of local businesses and organizations who show up to say: You belong here.”
The festival itself takes place Saturday, Sept. 6, with the Pride March starting at 2 p.m. from Femme Bar, leading into the Pride Worcester Festival downtown, featuring dozens of performances, speakers, and over 200 local vendors.
Earlier this year, the city announced several updates to the special event permitting process aimed at reducing fees and simplifying applications. In March, City Manager Batista unveiled the elimination of 18 fees, including those for parade permits, portable toilets, sound permits, and street closures, while also consolidating applications and offering dedicated staff assistance for organizers. “These enhancements are a major step forward in removing barriers for individuals and groups to host special events in the City of Worcester,” Batista said at the time.
This story is developing. Check back for updates as organizers and city officials respond to requests for comment.
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