Clarence M. Smith – Band Director, Business Owner
Born in 1882, Smith learned to play the cornet in 1896 at the age of 14.
Cumberland County’s First “Pride”
In 1989, Camp Hill businesswoman, Nikki Knerr, became increasingly concerned with the lack of awareness for the AIDS epidemic. Knerr and her friends decided to create an event to raise funds and awareness for AIDS organizations in Central Pennsylvania. As a result, the first ever Unity Festival was held in Mechanicsburg in Knerr’s six-acre backyard. There was music, food, crafts, and more for the crowd of 750 in attendance and the event raised over $15,000 for AIDS organizations.
Unity Festival continued for three more years drawing larger crowds each year and raising more awareness for AIDS in Central Pennsylvania. In the end, Knerr raised over $100,000 for AIDS organizations and united both the LGBTQ+ community and the people of Central Pennsylvania. The Unity Festival sadly ended after 1991, but the legacy of Pride events like Knerr’s live on today in Cumberland County.
Today, places like the Shippensburg University PAGE Center host Pride events of all kinds for students and the community. One of the most popular of these events is their semester annual Lavender Graduation, which is held for graduating students of the LGBTQ+ community. Lavender Graduation celebrates both student’s academic accomplishments and their identities within the community.