Gulf Coast Pride Fest

The Point Cadet Pavilion was filled with pride and bright colors on Saturday as members of the LGBTQ community came out to celebrate Gulf Coast Pride Fest.

June is Pride Month and what better way to end the month than with a pride filled celebration? There were over 40 vendors and multiple drag shows throughout the day. This event welcomed everyone no matter their gender identities or sexual preferences.

There were a few protestors of the event on the outside, but that did not stop everyone attending from having a good time.

A few of the performers had some advice. Pride performer Ivy Dripp said, “Be accepting. Be loving. Be open minded, be open-hearted, and really go out and meet an LGBTQ person. We are all the same.”

Pride performer Lexis D’Ville said, “Ignorance breeds fear, if I am correct, and fear breeds hate and hate brings a society that you and I cannot function in. So, events like this are important for our community, for the place that we live in.”

This was the second year for Pride Fest on the Coast. Members of the LGBTQ community want to keep making it bigger and better each year.