Celebrate unity and diversity with Idaho Falls Pride June 22-24
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IDAHO FALLS — Idaho Falls Pride will celebrate unity and diversity during its 11th annual Pride Festival next week at the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Riverwalk.
The theme of this year’s pride festival is Stand Together. It will take place from June 22 to June 24 and have “an array of activities for all ages,” according to a news release from Idaho Falls Pride.
“I think it’s important to have these events mainly to be visible. LGBTQ+ folks are part of our community — they’re our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers,” Kelly McCary, development director at Idaho Falls Pride, told EastIdahoNews.com.
McCary noted the festival has been able to expand over the past 11 years. She thinks this is because people feel more comfortable attending rather than an influx of LGBTQ+ people.
“The (LGBTQ+) community has always been here,” she said. “And there has been a lot of folks who have maybe supported the community but didn’t feel like they needed to show up, and now, given the current political atmosphere, they feel the need to show their support.”
Planned activities include Pride Night with the Chukars, the Idaho Falls Pride Parade and Festival, and the Idaho Falls Pride Drag Show and Pride After Party.
“Idaho Falls Pride is excited to host a wide range of free, family-friendly events during this year’s celebration,” McCary said. “It is important that our events are accessible to everyone and provide a safe and welcoming space. Now, more than ever, we need to stand together and support everyone in the community.”
Pride Night with the Chukars
The Third Annual Pride Night with the Chukars baseball game is on Thursday, June 22. This is not a free event.
Idaho Falls Pride will be giving away free tickets to the first 500 people who bring two canned food items or give a $5 donation for the Idaho Falls Soup Kitchen.
“It’s important for our community to know that we’re family members, and we support all members of the community, not just LGBTQ+,” said McCary. “This will be our third year doing a food drive. It’s really important that we participate in the broader Idaho Falls community.”
The baseball team will sport special edition pride jerseys during the game, which will be available for a few lucky spectators to take home afterward. Idaho Falls Pride will have a booth near the entrance for more information.
Idaho Falls Pride Drag Show and Pride After Party
On Friday, June 23, a drag show will be held at the Westbank Convention Center. This event is for people 18 years and older. It will be an “exciting performance from some of your favorite local artists.”
Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased here. VIP tickets are $40, and general admission tickets are $25.
After the festival on Saturday, stop by one of the participating businesses listed below to get an exclusive Pride After Party deal sheet for drink specials. The after-party starts at 5 p.m.
- Bardoza’s
- Black Rock
- Ford’s
- Golden Crown
- MarCellar’s
- Tap-N-Fill
Pride Parade and Festival
Saturday’s festivities will kick off with the Pride Parade at 10 a.m. Participants will walk around the Greenbelt Riverwalk to the west bank and back to the festival. Everyone is welcome to participate. Line-up starts at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Unitarian Universalist Church, across the street from the festival.
Games, vendors, food trucks, and a bouncy house will be there.
Rainbow Narratives, a Q&A-style forum, will begin at 3 p.m. inside the U.U. Church. This event is a unique opportunity to learn from LGBTQ+ people and those who love them as they “share stories of struggle and hope.”
“It is,” the release said, “a great way to surround yourself with like-minded people while sharing stories of pain, resiliency, and purpose. We hope you are able to walk away having been inspired and feeling the love of your community.”
All of Saturday’s activities are free and family-friendly. Festivities will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Greenbelt stage, just north of the Farmer’s Market.
McCary says Idaho Falls Pride looks forward to the chance to “get together, feel safe and spend time together. We’re excited to have a fun, safe event.”