New Hope Celebrates has been committed to serving our diverse community since its founding in 2003. Our focus is to unify the community by highlighting the history and cultural nuances of New Hope through our events, and through the creation of promotional opportunities and educational events.
NHC’s mission is to bring people together to share in a celebration of history, diversity, and inconclusiveness. As a voice for our local LGBTQ+ community, we strive to achieve our vision where society is free of prejudice, discrimination, and hate here and across our borders.
Over the past 17 years, NHC has grown tremendously. We continue to ensure that LGBTQ+ tourism is a central part of our community’s identity. Beginning in 2017, there have been a few protesters at our Pride Parades. While not diminishing the joyful celebration, this underscores there is still progress to be made.
New Hope remains a vibrant, exciting, spirited town known for its openness and acceptance. Not only is it a special place to live and work, but it is also a welcoming tourist destination for those who come to experience our unique retail shops, restaurants and bars, drag shows, and t-dances, piano-bar entertainment, and theater — the list is endless.
NHC was founded by Daniel Brooks In 2003 as an official nonprofit. As a voice for our local LGBTQ+ community, we strive to achieve our vision where society is free of prejudice, discrimination, and hate within our community and across our borders.
NHC launches its first annual Pride Celebration with kick-off at Triumph Brewery with PA Governor Ed Rendell, train and mule barge rides, a performance by Sharon McKnight, and a party at the Raven featuring a Kettle One Ice Bar.
NHC’s annual Pride Celebration debuts Project Runway with emcee Kim Stoltz, one of America’s top models. Additional activities included a Saturday night showcase featuring Lesley Gore and Sam Harris.
NHC makes the move to a week-long Pride Celebration with the theme Freedom to BE! and the first-ever Pride T-shirt. The Raven, Cornerstone Health & Fitness and The Nevermore Hotel are just a few hotspots that hosted the event.
The theme The Bridge to Equality – Bring Marriage Equality to PA, the NHC Pride Parade is the first-ever Parade to span two states, beginning in Lambertville NJ crossing the bridge into New Hope PA. Performers throughout the week included Vicki Shaw and Lea Delaria. NHC was voted “Best Suburban Pride of 2014” by readers of the Philadelphia Gay News.
NHC’s Pride Week was launched by a fireworks display over the Delaware River between Lambertville and New Hope. In addition to festivities throughout the week, NHC along with local partners led a candlelight vigil in response to the mass shooting in Orlando at the Pulse nightclub with approximately 450 in attendance.
Now an annual event, over 100 participants unfurled pride flags across the New Hope/Lambertville Bridge in concert with the annual unfurling of our 25 foot Rainbow Equality flag which is displayed on the Starbucks building to open NHC’s Pridefest week-long celebration.
Daniel Brooks,
Founder NHC
In 1957, The Playhouse Inn was a popular destination for many famous actors and socialites as well as a popular gay resort. Over the years it changed hands and names numerous times, once housing Club Zadar which was destroyed by flooding. Recently renovated, it now hosts the Ghost Light Inn & Stella by Jose Garces.
Located at 50 South Main St., Zadar was a popular dance club in the late ‘80s through the ‘90s featuring multiple levels and themed rooms with various types of music, from disco and punk to ‘80s classics. It is now home to the new Ghost Light Inn & Stella by Jose Garces.
Located at 50 South Main St. along the Delaware River Promenade, the Ghost Light Inn, a new boutique hotel and the Inn’s restaurant, Stella by Jose Garces, Built in the footprint where the former Playhouse Inn and Club Zadar once stood.
Located on the Delaware River, the Bucks County Playhouse opened in 1939 in what was an old grist mill. It quickly became “America’s Most Famous Summer Theatre” with some of the most famous actors and productions of the time. It fell into disrepair until, thanks to the Bridge Street Foundation, this theatrical landmark was renovated and reopened in 2012. Today the Playhouse is celebrating its 80th Birthday.
Built in 1784, the River House had been a hotel, general store, and tavern until Odette converted the two-story building into Chez Odette, a French restaurant featuring nationally-known entertainers. Now located at the corner of South Main and New Street, the building was moved from its longtime foundation and is in the process of restoration.
Located at 400 Union Square, Triumph opened in 2003 as a brewpub. Over the years it has hosted numerous NHC Pridefest events. The most notable was the opening of Pride 2000 with PA Governor Ed Rendell and NHC founder Daniel Brooks.
