Indy Pride festival returns in person after 2 years of virtual celebrations
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Pride month festivities are back on for the first time in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and organizers say they are bringing back staple events but also adding new ones to this year’s rundown.
The annual Indy Pride festival will be June 11 at Military Park. While the events are centered around the LGBTQ+ community, anyone who considers themselves an ally can celebrate. As the state continues the debate surrounding transgender athletes and equity in the LGBTQ+ community, this is a chance to cultivate more allies.
Mx. Indy Pride Royal Court member Brentlee has been anticipating for in-person celebrations to return.
“Baby, I am excited for all of the events that we have going on,” they said.
Everyone learned how to adapt to all things virtual during the past two years. Similarly, Brentlee experienced their own transformation by stepping completely into themselves.
“I attribute a lot of this and finding my real voice to quarantine. We don’t want to talk about her: Miss Covidtina. But, we definitely, I want to definitely, bring home the fact that if it wasn’t for that, I probably wouldn’t be this,” Brentlee said.
The last in-person Indy Pride festival in 2019 brought in a record 50,000 visitors. So, it’s a toss-up trying to determine this year’s crowd size. Organizers say, during June, there’s plenty to help draw in those numbers.
“We have a Latinx pride for the first time, which we’re very excited about, and we are partnering with the Indiana Pride of Color to do two events,” said Shelly Snider, executive director of Indy Pride. “And one of them centered around the ball culture. We have girl pride again this year; we have deaf pride, where people from the deaf community will be performing in drag; and we have pet pride.”
It’s typically an 11-month planning process, but the pandemic sped things up, giving organizers four months to get the job done.
“I think it’s important for them to know that there is a place for them, and we tried to create environments where people can come and be their authentic selves,” Snider said.
Brentlee says allyship is key to help move these things forward, and the fun makes it even more sweet.
“Because we’re in pride month … we are here to celebrate Y-O-U,” Brentlee said.