“Just Say Gay!” is the theme of this year’s Ark Valley Pride Pride Celebration, a gathering of the LGBTTSQIA+* community, allies, and their families.
Courtesy of Ark Valley Pride
This year’s Ark Valley Pride Planning Committee is issuing a general public invitation to what they assure the community will be Ark Valley’s “Best Pride Yet”.
There are new features, such as an afternoon Pride Parade and evening events, as well as a Sunday morning drag brunch-nic! – all in Riverside Park! All events are in Riverside Park. This weekend event is free of charge.
Highlights of this year’s schedule:
June 3
Pride Kick-Off
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Bring your own dinner, evening snack, and drinks, and hang out in the Riverside Park for the 2022 Ark Valley Pride Kick-Off. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and cushions if you have them. If you don’t — the organizers say they will do their best to have some available.
Land Acknowledgement and Blessing – Ana Evans
Pride Announcements – PfCA Team & Grand Marshal
Welcome – Salida Mayor Dan Shore
Movie – Pride (2014) Popcorn and drinks are available but bring your reusable cup and packaged drinks/snacks to share.
June 4
Ark Valley Pride Activities throughout the day in Riverside Park
10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
YOUTH PRIDE PRESENTATION & AWARDS
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Grab your family and friends and help us celebrate our area youth at the annual Ark Valley Pride Youth Awards and a number of youth activities and performances on the Main Stage.
City Councilperson, Mike Pollock, dressed as a butterfly in the last Ark Valley Pride Celebration. Image by Brooke Gilmore.
PRIDE VILLAGE
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Pride Village offers a number of community organizations sharing information, resources, activities, and fun! The fun includes the new Pride Village Stage, Button Making Activities, Zhuzhing* Table, Face Painting, Drag Camp, T-shirt/Poster Printing, and more added every day! Tons of fun for all ages. Bring a picnic and hang out in the shade all day!
*zhoosh /ZHo͝oSH/ verb: zhuzh, make more exciting, lively, or attractive. ” (The bag is a cool but economical way to zhoosh up many an outfit”)
PURPLE PEOPLE-POWERED PRIDE PARADE
2:30 p.m. to 3:05 p.m.
Meet the crew at Alpine Park on the corner of 4th and F Streets at 2:30 p.m. and zhuzh* yourself up! You’ve got to be parade worthy! The walk will start promptly at 3:05 p.m.
DANCE PARTY
3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Dance Party with DJ keeps the momentum going from the Purple People-Powered Pride Parade to Riverside Park, for the presentation and awards.
PRIDE PRESENTATION & AWARDS
4:15 p.m. to 6:30p.m.
Local leaders and community members take to the stage to share stories, and perspectives and celebrate our community through the annual Ark Valley Pride Awards. List of speakers and performances available on ArkValleyPride.com.
DRAG SHOW — “DECADES OF SAYING GAY”
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Run home and change into your most dazzling self and meet us back in Riverside Park for a drag extravaganza! Hosted by everyone’s favorite Emcee, Chad, “Decades of Saying Gay” includes a cast of Colorado’s favorite Drag King and Queens.
June 5
Ark Valley Drag Brunch-nic
10:00 a.m. – 12ish p.m.
It’s a brunch, it’s a picnic, it’s a brunch-nic! Grab your picnic basket and fill it with everything from pancakes to coleslaw and join us in Riverside Park for the 2022 Ark Valley Pride closing event. Entertainment will be provided.
Are you a community member ready to perform — or are you ready to volunteer? Email hello@goPfCA.com
Lady Shug. Image by Brooke Gilmore.
The 2022 Ark Valley Pride Parade Registration is Now Open
Registration is open through Monday, May 23 to participate in the 2022 Ark Valley Pride Celebration. There are no fees.
Ark Valley Pride will notify people in Riverside Park at 2:30 p.m. that the Parade is about to begin. For those just coming for the parade, be in Riverside Park by 2:45 p.m. We will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m. No need to register.
“Our mission is to create a community-driven, accessible, healthy, and alternative Pride experience for LGBTTSQIA+ families and allies while generating support and resources for our community,” explains organizer Jimmy Sellars. “The PfCA currently provides support for more than 360 youth in Chaffee County and over 1,500 adults and approximately 3,000 local community members participate in Ark Valley Pride every year.”
*For those who may not know, LGBTTSQIA+ – stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Two-Spirit, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, + all of the identities that fall under the Queer umbrella. The Partnership for Community Action (PfCA) is a grassroots movement of Queer and Trans people working towards liberation by amplifying our shared voice, building community, and connecting all LGBTTSQIA+ people, their families, and allies in rural Colorado.
For more information about Ark Valley Pride go to http://www.arkvalleypride.com.
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