History
The Northern Arizona Pride Association planted its roots in Flagstaff, Arizona in the winter of 1996 as a subgroup of Phoenix Pride. The inaugural Pride in the Pines festival was held that summer at Ft. Tuthill County Fairgrounds. With 300 in attendance, the 1st Annual Pride in the Pines encouraged a new wave of diversity in small town Arizona. The celebration moved to Wheeler Park, in front of Flagstaff City Hall, the following year, solidifying the importance and power that this one day of pride and unity could create in Flagstaff. After the 2nd Annual Pride in the Pines, NAPA board members also established relationships with larger, regional GLBT pride organizations, such as San Francisco Pride (sfpride.org), LA Pride (lapride.org), the Consolidated Association Pride, Inc. (capride.org) and the International Pride Organization (interpride.org). In 1999, NAPA secured its first grant from the City of Flagstaff’s Arts & Science Commission and attained non-profit status from the State of Arizona. In 2000, Pride in the Pines received official city recognition with the first proclamation declaring the day as ‘Pride in the Pines Day’ in Flagstaff by then-Mayor Joe Donaldson.
The 2002 Pride in the Pines saw record attendance and enjoyed the first festival headliner, Erin Hamilton. NAPA has continued this tradition, with recent headliners that includes Chaka Chan, Martha Wash, Jodi Watley, CeCe Peniston, and Frenchie Davis. NAPA continues to organize successful Pride in the Pines festivals, as well as holding benefits throughout the year for regional HIV / AIDS advocacy organizations and LGBTQ groups.
From our beginning with 300 attendees at a county fairground on the outskirts of town to our current festival of several thousand next to City Hall, Northern Arizona Pride Association’s Pride in the Pines is now one of the largest and most well-supported events in the City of Flagstaff, Arizona.
Mission
Northern Arizona Pride Association’s mission is to educate and celebrate our community and increase lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) equality within Flagstaff and Northern Arizona.
Vision
Northern Arizona Pride Association’s vision is increase LGBTQ visibility and equality and end homophobia and transphobia in Northern Arizona.
