VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Manlius celebrates LGBTQ+ community with grassroots festival
Vinaya Johnson: On Seneca Street in Manlius, local pride isn’t just flying high, it’s brewing strong at the Senica Street Brew Pub. This Pride Month, businesses are teaming up with volunteers from grassroots fundraisers that give directly back to the LGBTQ+ community.
Johnson: Pride Festival coordinator Megan Hill says it’s about more than celebration.
Megan Hill: Interesting time to be having a Pride Fest, what with everything going on um politically and just in the United States, so the purpose of having this year’s Pride is that we’re here, we’re queer we’re not going anywhere.
Johnson: Vendors filled the streets offering everything from local art to handmade goods, all backed by businesses who care, add in some fun and flavor, and it’s a full celebration of identity, support, and community spirit.
Johnson: For pub owner Heidi Menikheim, it’s personal, passed down through her family. The Brew Pub is a space for everyone
Heidi Menikheim: Decided to keep it local because you know we are local, so we want to give back local.
Johnson: and that message resonated with locals, turning out in support in celebration in the community.
Hill: Honestly, it’s to show people that they belong here. This is a community event, so to me, a successful event is for somebody to walk into our event and be like I belong here.
Johnson: One small street, one big message: pride lives here, and everyone’s invited
MANLIUS, N.Y. (NCC News) — Manlius showed its small-town pride with bold colors and local spirit on full display. Rainbow flags fluttered outside the Seneca Street Brew Pub, where families, friends and allies came together for a grassroots Pride festival that blended celebration with purpose and gave back in more ways than one.
This year’s Manlius Pride Festival didn’t rely on corporate sponsorships or national backing. Instead, volunteers, local artists, small businesses and community members, wanting to show up for the LGBTQ+ community, powered the festival. The result: a block party with heart.
Proceeds from vendor sales, raffles and activities went directly to LGBTQ+ organizations and support services across Central New York, keeping the impact close to home.
“We decided to keep it local because, you know, we are local, so we want to give back locally,” said Heidi Menikheim, owner of Seneca Street Brew Pub. “This place has always been about bringing people together. We want everyone to feel like they belong when they walk through our doors.”
Every part of the event included that sense of belonging.
Vendors lined Seneca Street with tables stacked high with handmade jewelry, organic soaps, vintage clothing, baked goods and pride-themed artwork. Food trucks filled the air with the smell of grilled favorites and sweet treats, while visitors sampled local brews and shopped for one-of-a-kind pieces.
For Menikheim, hosting the event was personal. The brew pub has been in her family for generations. By opening its doors for Pride, she continued its legacy as a warm, inclusive space where everyone is welcome.
“Honestly, it’s to show people that they belong here,” said Megan Hill, the festival’s coordinator. “This is a community event. So to me, a successful event is for somebody to walk into our event and be like, ‘I belong here.’”
That welcoming spirit extended far beyond shopping and eating. Drag shows, a live magician and face painting for kids, kept festivalgoers of all ages entertained. A dunk tank drew laughter and long lines, with many locals taking the plunge to support the cause.
Hill also noted that Pride in Manlius carries more weight this year, given the national climate around LGBTQ+ rights.
“The purpose of having this year’s Pride is that we’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere,” Hill said.
From pride flags on tables to chalk art along the sidewalks, the entire street transformed into a canvas of support. Signs reading “Support Queer Joy” and “Love Lives Here” reminded everyone that pride is not just about identity, it’s about action and allyship.
As the sun dipped behind the trees and vendors packed up, the impact lingered. The festival raised money for local causes, forged new connections, and sent a clear message: Manlius’ pride is powered by its people and is here to stay.