Pride Emergency Plans
Safety Plan
Ithaca Pride Alliance
SEA-26-4
June 12th - 14th, 2026
Ithaca Pride Alliance
Tompkins County Chamber Foundation
Three key ways to support during an urgent threat or emergency:
Move people to a secure location
In the event of inclement weather, an active shooter, or another emergency that requires us to quickly evacuate Pride, review the evacuation plans & locations below and help community members move safely and calmly to a place of safety. Direct crowds with a loud and clear voice - always keep yourself safe first, and if someone won’t or can’t come with you, move to safety with those who can.
Once you are in a secure location, take a headcount of who is with you. Call 911.
Active Threat? Run, Hide, Fight
In extreme events, the best practice is Run, Hide, Fight. Be prepared to move quickly to safety, find a quiet and safe place to stay sheltered in place until emergency services arrive, and only as a last resort should confrontation or movement from a safe location be considered.
Security personnel on site will directly coordinate a 911 response. Only dial emergency services once you and those around you are safe & hidden.
Call 911
Best practice, no matter whether you are at Pride or another event, is to never assume that someone else has called 911 in the event of an emergency like a significant medical accident or large-scale incident.
After you get yourself to safety, you can always feel empowered to call emergency services and let them know what is happening - just tell them that you aren’t the main point of contact, and to coordinate with Pride leadership.
Emergency Evacuation Locations
Friday: RainbowFest
The Noctural Cafe is located down one flight of stairs. In the event of severe weather or an active threat the building is a safe place to shelter-in-place.
If the venue needs to be evacuated, help move people quickly and calmly out of emergency exits.
Your Role
Your role as a volunteer is to support the hired security staff who are on-site during Saturday and Sunday, and the Pride Leadership team, which includes trained crowd managers, in the event of an emergency.
What happens if there is an emergency?
From inclement weather like severe thunderstorms to civil disruptions, we have plans in place for Pride to ensure we are prepared to host a safe event. Review our primary plans for the 2026 Pride Festival below or the full safety plan document (right) to understand your role in supporting emergency response plans.
Saturday and Sunday
In the event of an evacuation, help members of the community move to a secure location listed below.
If there is severe weather, you can help by quickly breaking down tents and putting away supplies, and loading these into the UHaul parked on E. Seneca St. as long as it is safe to do so.
Non-Emergency Responses
How do I respond to harassment, protests, or other incidents that do not require a large-scale response?
You are not required as a volunteer to engage with anyone who is making you or another festival attendee uncomfortable with their words, actions, or general behavior. Find a lead volunteer and ask for a member of the leadership team to respond.
In general, if you or someone around you is experiencing harassment or an uncomfortable interaction, calmly escort the festival-goer away from the situation if possible. The Pride Planning team has a protest response plan, but the general rule of thumb is to ignore and not engage. Let’s enjoy our festival and focus on creating safety & belonging together!
You’re done! Thanks for completing Pride volunteer training.
We can’t wait to see you at the pre-Pride volunteer meet up on June 7th, or at your shift during Pride. Reach out to us anytime with questions or concerns at contact@ithacapridealliance.org, or change or update your volunteer shifts directly in SignUp Genius.
Pride is 100% powered by volunteers like you. Thank you for your service to making our event safe, welcoming, and fun! We couldn’t do it without you.
