Dreary skies, chilly gusts and the random fat raindrop did little to dull the joy in evidence at Pittsfield’s 10th annual Pride parade Saturday.

Marchers assembled that morning to represent a broad swath of LGBTQ+ organizations and allies: queer advocacy and social groups, local social services, churches and other faith groups, schools, arts companies, witches, shriners, veterans’ groups and even unaffiliated families queued up just to tag along and affirm their support for all the others.

Marchers assembled Saturday to represent a broad swath of LGBTQ+ organizations and allies for Pittsfield's 10th annual Pride parade.

Among the marchers were local dignitaries of assorted denominations, including state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and state Sen. Paul Mark and drag artists Vuronika Baked and Bella Santarella.

Bedecked in rainbow finery apropos of both the damp air and bright spirits of the day, the several hundred marchers embarked from downtown Pittsfield’s Park Square just after 11 a.m. Together they sported sufficient banners, bubbles and twirling ribbons to mostly hide the gray skies.

The parade processed up North Street, took a hard right onto Eagle Street and soon arrived at The Common, where they were welcomed by more than 140 booths operated by local support organizations, craftspeople and food vendors, plus live entertainment on a raised stage under an inflatable rainbow arch.

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and state Sen. Paul Mark celebrate at Pittsfield's 10th annual Pride Parade at Park Square on Saturday.

“To me, this is what community looks like,” said Farley-Bouvier, who has attended all 10 Pride parades celebrated in Pittsfield. “I am just so thrilled with the turnout, with the level of joy that’s here.”

Joy notwithstanding, Farley-Bouvier says she’s mindful of the serious, urgent purpose beneath the party. “I always keep in mind that Pride saves lives,” she said. “It’s this kind of pride and visibility that makes a difference in peoples’ lives, especially young peoples’ lives.”

While Pride does offer support to struggling queer youth and a normalizing visibility to the queer community, global LGBTQ+ rights organization Outright International reiterates Pride’s founding goal: “Across the world, Pride remains a protest. It is a continued act of resilience and bravery, an avenue for solidarity and community, and a pathway to freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer people.”

Several hundred marchers participated in the 10th annual Pittsfield Pride Parade on Saturday.

Berkshire Pride board president Michael Taylor celebrates at the 10th annual Pittsfield Pride Parade Saturday.

The event is “really a testament to this community and how they have grown,” said Michael Taylor, board president of nonprofit advocacy group Berkshire Pride, which organized all 10 parades. On Friday, Berkshire Pride will celebrate 10 years of local Pride events with a “Birthday Bash” promised to feature “the ultimate queer birthday dance party,” among games and other activities.

While manning the Berkshire Pride booth at The Common, Taylor said support for the event continues to grow: “We see more and more organizations and businesses that want to be involved with Berkshire Pride.”

Taylor also noted the growing number of Berkshire towns observing Pride; this year, Lenox joined the movement already observed by Pittsfield, Lee and North Adams. While more and more Berkshire locales host events celebrating Pride, only Pittsfield stages a Pride parade.

Several hundred marchers participated in the 10th annual Pittsfield Pride Parade on Saturday.

Jaime Barak, secretary of the steering committee for peer-led support organization Berkshire Trans Group, worked the group’s booth.

Barak said the event makes an important statement: “It means we’re not backing down from who we are, despite all the pressure to hide, we’re not doing that.”

Music teacher Chelsea Beatty celebrates at Pittsfield's 10th annual Pride Parade Saturday.

Barak added, “I love the amazing communal feel of everybody coming together as neighbors.”

Pittsfield music teacher Chelsea Beatty wandered over to The Common after teaching lessons nearby. She said she’s lived in the Berkshires for four years, and attended Pride events here for three.

“I was teaching down the street,” Beatty says, “and I knew there was going to be some folks here that I could connect with, see what’s going on.”

What Beatty saw going on was Pride, and pride. By noon, the sun had appeared.

Arising from early ‘70s commemorations of the June 1969 Stonewall uprising (a watershed event in the gay rights movement), Pride events are now observed in all 50 states, and in more than 100 countries. In locations known for lousy June weather, Pride events sometimes are held in other months.