Irpinia Pride

Pride crossing the inland areas

Irpinia Pride is the LGBTQIA+ pride event for the province of Avellino, promoted by the Apple Pie Arcigay Avellino association. Born in 2019 in Atripalda, the parade has always adopted an itinerant format, moving from year to year between different towns in Irpinia to bring the topic of civil rights outside of major urban centers. In a region like Campania, where the largest parades are concentrated along the coast, Irpinia Pride asserts the right to visibility even in inland areas, where the path toward LGBTQIA+ recognition is often slower and more challenging.

The return to Atripalda

In June 2026, the sixth edition returned to the town where the Irpinian Pride was born: Atripalda, just a few kilometers from the provincial capital, Avellino, along the ancient Appian Way. The event was dedicated to the memory of Mario Barretta, remembered at the opening by his family and friends. The Mayor of Atripalda, Paolo Spagnuolo, accompanied the procession alongside the Mayor of Avellino, Nello Pizza, summarizing the spirit of the day with a phrase that became one of the edition's slogans: «It is a wall, but it is not a rubber wall: it can be broken down».

A procession imagined as a journey

The organizing committee built the 2026 edition around the maritime metaphor of a crew: not just a simple parade, but a collective journey marked by seven stages, called «landings», where guests, activists, and associations took the floor. Starting from Piazza Umberto I, the rainbow snake crossed the town, touching Piazza Garibaldi, Via Fiumitello, Via Aversa, Via San Nicola, the roundabout between Via Cesinali and Via Appia, and two points on Via Roma, before returning to the starting square. «Every stage will be a unique moment, a beacon lit,» the organizers announced: «this Pride is not just to be watched, but to be crossed, listened to, and lived».

Guests, testimonials, and entertainment

The lead float was guided by drag queen Mariano PriscillaDrag Gallo, the symbolic godmother of the day. Alongside her, historical figures of activism and voices from the world of media and entertainment took part:

• Priscilla, drag queen, actress, and activist;
• Natascia Maesi, national president of Arcigay;
• Porpora Marcasciano, activist and writer, historical memory of the Italian trans movement;
• Father Vitaliano Della Sala, an Irpinian priest long committed to inclusion issues;
• Alessio Marzilli, Giulia Molino, and Pasquale Quaranta;
• Giuseppina La Delfa for Famiglie Arcobaleno, together with Agedo Napoli and Avionica Avellino;
• Christian Coduto, president of Apple Pie Arcigay Avellino.

The return to Piazza Umberto I closed the day with final greetings from the association, a ballroom performance curated by Avionica, a musical performance by Ragone, and a long DJ set that turned the square into an open-air dance floor. All guests participated on a voluntary and free basis.

A square that fills up

The slogan chosen for 2026, «Don't worry, it's not contagious, it's fabulous!», set the tone for a playful day that was anything but light in its content. According to local reports, more than a thousand people walked the streets of Atripalda, a considerable number for a town of a few thousand inhabitants and confirmation that the Irpinian Pride is now a deeply rooted appointment in the regional calendar. «We no longer ask anyone for permission to exist and to be happy,» said Priscilla from the stage.

Atripalda and the province of Avellino

Atripalda is located at the gates of Avellino, in the heart of Irpinia, an area known primarily for its DOCG wines and a hilly landscape that alternates between villages and vineyards. Choosing this town for Pride means bringing the debate on rights into a provincial context, where associations work all year round with listening centers, school meetings, and cultural activities. Irpinia Pride is not an isolated event but the most visible moment of this daily work: as the organizers repeat, the parade «is not the finish line, but the beginning of new battles».