News Summary
Lexington is preparing for its 17th Annual Pride Festival on June 28, featuring the inaugural Pride Parade. The festival promises a vibrant atmosphere with 200 vendors, entertainment, and a focus on safety. Organizers hope the outdoor setting enhances community visibility and inclusivity after two years indoors. City officials emphasize the event’s importance to the local LGBTQ+ community. The festival is expected to attract large crowds and celebrate diversity and acceptance in Lexington.
Lexington is gearing up for its 17th Annual Pride Festival, set to take place on Saturday, June 28, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. This year’s event is particularly significant as it will feature the first-ever Pride Parade, which will commence on Oliver Lewis Way at High Street and proceed towards South Broadway.
The President of the Lexington Pride Center, Jason Schubert, has emphasized the importance of safety during the festival. To ensure a secure environment for attendees, marked by the presence of local police officers, the event space will be reserved, preventing any protesters from entering the festival grounds. In the event that protesters do appear, attendees are encouraged to focus on celebrating the festival rather than engage with any dissenters.
This year’s Pride Festival marks a return to outdoor celebrations after two years of being held indoors at the Central Bank Center. Feedback from the community indicated a preference for outdoor festivities, as the indoor venue made participants feel “hidden.” The switch back to an outdoor setting aims to foster a more inclusive and visible celebration for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.
Last year’s festival attracted over 15,000 attendees, making it the largest fundraising event for the Lexington Pride Center. This year, the festival is expected to be even more vibrant, with more than 200 vendors set to participate. These vendors will provide a wide array of food and beverage options that were not available during the previous indoor events, further enhancing the overall experience.
The festival will also showcase an array of entertainment, including drag shows and various performances. Organizers believe that the combination of diverse offerings will help to create an atmosphere of joy and celebration, drawing in both festival regulars and newcomers alike.
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Additional Resources
- WKYT: Lexington Prepares for Pride Festival
- Kentucky.com: Pride Festival News
- WTVQ: Lexington Pride Parade
- The Dispatch: Lexington Pride Events
- WFMY News: Lexington Pride Festival Returns
- Wikipedia: LGBT Rights in the United States
- Google Search: LGBTQ Pride Festivals
- Google Scholar: LGBTQ Pride Community
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Pride Days
- Google News: LGBTQ Pride Festival Lexington
