Electrix Cute performs at the Drag Show in Riverside Park during 2023 Ark Valley Pride. Photo by Carly Winchell
“Queertopia,” a celebration of queer joy, is the theme of this year’s Ark Valley Pride celebration, which is organized and hosted by the Partnership for Community Action (PfCA). The event will begin with lip sync battles during the Kick-Off Party from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Tres Litros on Friday, May 31. Ark Valley Pride will begin the following day from 10:00 a.m. to 10:0o p.m. on Saturday, June 1 in Riverside Park.
The day will feature an afternoon Pride Parade down F Street, Pride Village, the Itty Bitty Health Fair, Pride Awards for youth and community members, and evening entertainment in Riverside Park. The weekend will end with a Sunday, June 2 Weekend Wrap-Up event back at Tres Litros.
Margot Anthony performs at the Drag Brunch at A Church during the 2023 Ark Valley Pride event. Photo by Carly Winchell
The Queertopia Kick-Off Party on May 31 will be hosted by Mary Q and Margot Anthony. There will be lip-syncing, drinks, and a zero-proof menu will also be available. Tres Litros is a brewing company located at 118 North E Street in Salida.
The venue also hosts a monthly Queer Happy Hour, also in partnership with the PfCA. The next Tres Litros Queer Happy Hour is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30.
On Saturday, June 1, Pride Village will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Riverside Park. It hosts a number of community organizations, which will share information, resources, activities, and more. The public is invited to bring a picnic and hangout throughout the day.
The Itty Bitty LGBTQ+ Health Fair will also run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 1 in the park. The fair features an expanding list of health services, tests, and resources. The public is invited to stop by to check out the services offered.
Youth Pride Presentations and Awards will run from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Family and friends will get the opportunity to celebrate area youth with various activities and performances on the Main Stage at Riverside Park.
People walking arm-in-arm down F Street in the 2023 Ark Valley Purple People Powered Pride Parade. Photo by Carly Winchell.
The Purple People Powered Pride Parade will run from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Participants should plan to zhuzh themselves up and wear something purple before gathering at Alpine Park on the corner of 4th and F Streets. The walking parade will take off at 3:05 p.m. and end at Riverside Park.
An Afternoon Dance Party will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. to keep up the energy after the parade and lead into the Pride Presentation and Awards from 4:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at the Main Stage in Riverside Park.
During the presentation, local leaders and community members will share stories and perspectives, and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community through the annual awards ceremony.
Attendees will get the chance to head home and change before Queertopia Nights from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Riverside Park. The evening drag show will be emceed by local favorite Chad and will feature a cast of Colorado Drag Kings and Queens. Attendees should plan to bring cash with which to tip the cast of the show.
Chad (and Puppy) engage the crowd at the Drag Show in the Park during the 2023 Ark Valley Pride celebration. Photo by Carly Winchell
At the end of the Drag Show, Ark Valley Pride will finish with a Pride Dance Party with ULLA from 8:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to “keep the positive love and fabulous pride energy going” according to the PfCA’s website.
The weekend will finish up on Sunday, June 2 with the Wrap-Up Party at Tres Litros from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The event will be hosted by Margot Anthony and Tanya and include “surprises and gratitude and a little bit of attitude.”
Members of the community or organizations interested in participating in the Pride Village or Health Fair, volunteering their time during the weekend, or donating to support Pride efforts can find more information at ArkValleyPride.com.
The June 3, 2023 Ark Valley Pride event was a colorful celebration of community. PfCA Deputy Director of Policy and Programming and Pride organizer Mark Monroe estimated at least 500 people walked in the Purple People Powered Pride Parade in 2023 with approximately 1,000 to 1,500 people visiting the park throughout the day, 500 to 600 attending the Saturday night drag show in the park, and over 100 attendees at the Sunday Drag Brunch.
This is the eighth Ark Valley Pride organized by PfCA leaders Monroe and Jimmy Sellars. They hope that this year’s event will be “the best one yet.”
Logo courtesy PfCA
The Partnership for Community Action (PfCA) is a group of Queer and Gender-expansive people with the goal of building community in rural Colorado. More information is available at goPfCA.com.
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