Fourth annual Rexburg Pride event happening this weekend

REXBURG – Organizers are gearing up for nan 4th yearly Rexburg Pride arena astatine Porter Park this weekend.

It’s happening Saturday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Flourish Point, a section nonprofit LGBTQ+ assets center, is sponsoring nan event. committee personnel and pridefulness head Doug Pawson tells EastIdahoNews.com nan intent of nan ceremony is to “create an opportunity wherever group tin consciousness safe being themselves.”

“It’s a spot wherever group don’t person to dress who they are. They tin conscionable beryllium accepted for who they are wrong and consciousness for illustration they’re portion of nan community,” Pawson says.

Another intent of nan arena is to thief “bridge nan gap” betwixt nan Rexburg organization and nan “rather ample LGBTQ organization that’s successful Rexburg.” There are astir 1,500 LGBTQ+ group who unrecorded successful Rexburg, according to Pawson.

“It will let group to spot that we’re not each monsters and we’re not sex-crazed addicts trying to corrupt people. We’re here, we unrecorded among you and we’re portion of your community, too,” Pawson says.

RELATED | Thousands be cheery pridefulness show successful Rexburg

There will beryllium a assortment of family-friendly activities going on, including unrecorded set performances and creation displays successful nan Beehive Pavilion successful nan southeast area of nan park. About 35 vendors will beryllium on-hand passim nan event.

Pawson says location will beryllium thing happening astir each half hr that day.

“At 4:15, we’ll person nan pridefulness solidarity locomotion wherever everybody tin return a thigh astir nan parkland arsenic a show of (support for nan cheery community),” Pawson says. “It’s a beautiful communal point astatine astir pridefulness events.”

Average attendance astatine nan Pride arena successful erstwhile years was betwixt 1,000 and 1,500 people. Pawson is anticipating a akin turnout astatine this year’s event.

Those opposed to nan arena person shown up successful nan past to protestation it. Officers pinch nan Rexburg Police Department will beryllium location to supply information and make judge nan arena remains peaceful.

A man astatine nan 2023 Rexburg pridefulness show successful a rainbow-colored mohawk walks distant arsenic Ron Nate, left, holds a motion successful protest. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Pawson is looking guardant to nan ceremony and invites nan organization to attend.

“I’m really grateful for nan measurement nan metropolis useful pinch us. We person a really bully narration pinch nan mayor, nan metropolis assembly and nan Rexburg Arts Department. It’s really bully to spot that they springiness america nan support we request to put connected an arena for illustration this,” Pawson says. “It’s a large statement for everybody and we emotion putting it connected each year.”

EastIdahoNews.com is readying to be and will person further sum this weekend.