Montclair Pride Festival postponed until October amid funding and scheduling challenges
Organizers said scheduling and staffing issues made the August date unworkable for an event of its size.
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The Montclair Pride Festival has been postponed for a second time this year, with organizers announcing the event will now take place Oct. 11 after earlier plans to move it from June to August fell through.
Organizers said scheduling and staffing issues made the August date unworkable for an event of its size.
“The township, which includes the municipality, police, emergency personnel, fire, also our public services, street cleanup, that sort of thing, had not all signed on for that date,” said Reubena Spence, co-founder and president of Out Montclair. “August happens to be a difficult month for a lot of reasons in this town.”
The festival’s latest postponement comes as organizers have faced broader financial challenges. Spence said sponsorship funding has declined in recent years, a trend she says has been affecting Pride events across the country.
“One of our big sponsors, a mid-sized sponsor, backed out last year,” Spence said. “The last time we talked, we were talking about the next year, and they were going to double their sponsorship and make things bigger. We were really excited about that. But then with the administration change and some other things happening across the country, they totally went away.”
Spence said some companies that previously supported Pride events have seemingly become less visible in their sponsorship efforts since early 2025.
Despite the setbacks, organizers say the festival will move forward this fall at Lackawanna Station. The new date coincides with National Coming Out Day, which is observed annually on Oct. 11.
“Our new slogan is going to be ‘Come Out for Montclair Pride,’ and we’re going to make it as fun and as exciting as it always has been,” Spence said.
Spence said other sponsors and community members have strengthened their support for the event in the meantime. Out Montclair continues to seek additional community support and donations as planning continues for the October festival.
