'We could have gone inside and had these things sheltered from the mainstream because you had to and felt you needed to,' said Jeanne Paradis, president of the Bridge Alliance. But she explained that as the years have gone by, it has been easier to hold these events out in the open.

'We're less hidden about who we are,' she said.

'People recognize us as neighbors and coworkers and just a person who they see at Giacomo's and Starbucks,' said Music. 'Harvey Milk (The first openly gay man to be elected to public office before his assassination in 1978) always said, They won't hate you if they know you.' We're a really important part of the community and as individuals contribute a lot to the community.'

For more information about the Pride events happening in Bangor, find Bangor Pride and the Bridge Alliance on Facebook.