Local LGBTQ+ community and allies gather in the thousands to celebrate Idaho Falls Pride

IDAHO FALLS — About 2 1000 group gathered to be and march successful nan 12th yearly Idaho Falls Pride ceremony Saturday morning.

This year’s parade and show centered connected nan taxable “Reflections of Pride.”

“People request to cognize that wherever they are, they’re fine. So I deliberation that’s important too,” Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper said during nan parade.

Casper marched alongside Idaho Falls City Councilman John Radford, who added his support for nan LGBTQ+ community.

“We’re present to support pride, and we’re excited that they consciousness invited successful our community,” Radford said. “We’re really grateful for each their talents that they bring to our community, and (we’re) present to support them.”

GALLERY: Thousands participate successful Idaho Falls Pride connected Saturday

The parade started astatine nan Unitarian Universalist Church, crossed done nan Idaho Falls Greenbelt River Walk crossed nan Broadway span to nan Westbank Convention Center and vanished backmost astatine nan shape adjacent to Memorial Drive and East Street.

“I’m nonbinary, truthful pridefulness intends a batch to maine to spot each of america representing ourselves arsenic our existent selves. It’s very important to beryllium authentic and existent to yourself,” said Mel Campbell, a parade participant.

Following nan parade, a family-friendly show continued pinch euphony and performers from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“It’s important to person this gathering present successful Idaho Falls because it’s difficult to find your organization successful Idaho Falls arsenic an LGBTQIA person, and there’s not a batch of safe spaces for group who are not consecutive correct now successful nan community,” Idaho Falls Pride improvement head Kelly McCary said.

McCary presented section activistic Theron McGriff pinch nan Idaho Falls Pride Community Award.

Theron McGriff | David Pace, EastIdahoNews.com

Claire Pincock brought her family to support Saturday’s event.

“Pride intends a batch to me,” she said. “I person a batch of family members who are queer. I’m queer, and conscionable nan expertise for group to get to beryllium who they are without fear, it intends everything to me. I would do thing to make judge that group consciousness for illustration they beryllium successful this world and they beryllium pinch their community.”

Pride events will proceed Sunday astatine 2 p.m., erstwhile a Rainbow Narratives Question and Answer forum will beryllium held astatine The Art Museum Of Eastern Idaho.

Finally, Chukars Pride Night will beryllium held connected Friday, June 28 pinch tickets disposable online aliases astatine nan stadium.

The arena was preceded by an adult’s only resistance show connected Friday astatine nan Westbank Convention Center.

McCary acknowledged pridefulness events tin beryllium arguable successful Idaho, but said organizers are assured successful moving guardant anyway.

“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion,” she said. “We guarantee that our events are safe. … For nan astir part, we conscionable do our thing, and we fto everybody other do theirs.”

Very fewer protesters were noted on nan route.

Volunteers from Christ’s Community Church were passing retired Christian lit on nan River Walk and said they were antecedently unaware nan pridefulness ceremony was occurring Saturday.

“I do admit that we person free reside successful this country, that group are free to definitive their lifestyles and opinions successful nationalist without fearfulness of retribution,” Carl Pearson said. “It’s not a manner that I would work together pinch aliases endorse, but I very overmuch respect people’s correct to unrecorded that manner if that is their decision.”

Amy Taylor helped recovered Open Arms of Idaho aft her boy Jackson came retired arsenic cheery erstwhile he was 14-years-old.

They started disconnected taking him to younker groups successful Utah, she said.

“He loved it truthful overmuch uncovering kids for illustration him that he decided we needed thing here,” Taylor said.

Today, nan “Rainbow Youth” group meets from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each 3rd Wednesday astatine nan Community Youth successful Action building connected 574 4th Street. It is for LGBTQ+ younker ages 14 to 18 and their allies. A abstracted Parent Support Group is held during nan aforesaid clip for parents arsenic well.

“(It’s) for parents who possibly are struggling pinch really to support your kid because nan statistic show that if an LGBTQ kid has support of 1 big successful their life, their chance of termination decreases 40%,” Taylor said.

Open Arms of Idaho is designed for some younker and parents to navigate nan difficult abstraction betwixt belief religion and intersexual orientation, said committee personnel Jason Cooper, who has had a boy and begetter travel retired to him arsenic gay.

“It’s awesome for america to understand that we’re not unsocial successful this, that location are others for illustration us, and that location is simply a measurement for our children to thrive and for america to judge them and conscionable beryllium location for them,” Cooper said.

Pride parade participants upwind their measurement astir nan Snake River Saturday morning. | David Pace, EastIdahoNews.com