Inside Disability Pride Philadelphia’s Celebration and Parade

I always had a hard time with festivals growing up. I have an auditory processing disorder, so things like that were often just overwhelmingly loud. The nice thing about Disability Pride is that it’s spacious enough and not overwhelming so that I can be there and enjoy it. As a kid, I probably wouldn’t have been able to go to something like that. Now I can.

It’s family friendly, people of all ages come, and they have room to move around. It’s not crazy crowded, not super loud and overwhelming. We have a sensory-friendly zone, a separate area for people to decompress.

The parade starts at City Hall. They do their thing there, and then they march down the Parkway to where we have everything going on, usually performances and a couple of speeches. Last year was the first year we had DJs instead of bands, and we had three of them, which was really cool. When you have a band, you might feel pressure to stay there and watch it, but with DJs, you could visit the booths and still enjoy the music.

Along the Parkway on both sides and in the middle are all the vendor tables and booths. People walk around, go to each table, chat, see what everyone has to offer. We have tables for people to rest, food trucks, ice cream. I love getting my face painted.

The Academy of Natural Sciences brings teenage museum volunteers with hands-on activities. We have large lawn games — big Jenga, big Connect Four — set up near the music. It’s your standard block party vibe, except it’s accessible.

We have local disabled artists and vendors too. Ray Lapinsky and Ev Smith both come out every year, always with fun stuff — stickers, keychains, things they make. It’s a great chance for disabled creators to make some money, and for organizations to get the word out to people who might not know they need the resources.

Volunteers come back consistently every year. Most of our board members come too. I’m usually at the disability pride table at the front, giveaways spread out, people popping by to ask what’s going on.

I just think it’s amazing that we have a disability pride parade. And the thing I really love is when people don’t know it’s happening and they just stumble upon it. We talk to them and they’re like, oh my God, this is for me and I didn’t even know this was going on.

Philadelphia Freedom

The Philadelphia Freedom Band and parade attendees gather on the steps of City Hall.

Philadelphia Freedom Band Marches

The Philadelphia Freedom Band performs during the parade.

Color Guard

Flag corps members with the Philadelphia Freedom Band bring color to a rainy parade day.

LRI staff and CEO

Parade participants make their way down the Parkway.

Man carrying sign

A marcher shares why he walks: lived experience as a disabled educator and advocate.

ASL interpeter and board member Rita Jo Scarcella

Cornhole

Two attendees play cornhole in the street

Roughriders

The Philadelphia Roughriders wheelchair rugby team greets festival-goers at their booth.

Sensory room

Councilmember Rue Landau joins Comcast Campus staff at the Sensory-Friendly Room sign.

Food truck

Attendees line up at a food truck on the Parkway, with City Hall in the background.

Vendors

Vendors smile from their booth along the Parkway.

Ev's Booth

A visitor browses the Evander Smith and Fabulous Fidgets booth.

Crowded Disability Pride Booth

The Disability Pride Pennsylvania booth on the Parkway is always a popular hangout.

Disability Pride Philly, a free event, is Saturday, June 13, noon to 4 p.m. on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The parade steps off at City Hall's north apron at 11:30 a.m. Nearest subway stops are City Hall, Suburban Station, or Broad at Race. CCT Paratransit drop-off is 1515 Arch Street. A sensory-friendly room is available at the Comcast Center, 1701 JFK Blvd.