Kitsap Pride 2022 brings thousands to the Kitsap County Fairgrounds – Kitsap Sun
Rainbow flags, balloons and people in rainbow-colored outfits celebrated Kitsap Pride as the annual event continued its growth at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds on Saturday.
Kitsap County’s initial Pride celebrations began more than 25 years ago, with West Sound Family and Gay County organizing events at Scenic Beach, according to the Kitsap Pride nonprofit, often consisting of potlucks and a volleyball game for a few dozen people.
Since then, it’s grown to a day-long that brought hundreds to Evergreen Rotary Park in Bremerton and now to thousands to the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Around 3,000 participated showed up in 2021, according to organizers, and Saturday’s estimate was 5,000. The Kitsap Pride Network was formed in 2007 as a network of local organizations collaborating to celebrate community in Kitsap County and host the event.
Vendors sold flags, jewelry, art, candles and other creations. Churches, businesses and nonprofits drew people in with stickers and information. Big balloons spelling out “Pride” welcomed people at the entrance. Kids tried to sit still while having glittering facepaint applied and drag queens got the crowd excited.
A teen hang-out spot was the new thing added this year, said Jeannie Allen, a member of the Pride board for five years. Allen has volunteered at Pride for more than a decade, and said it feels good to be able to see young adults and teens showing up and feeling safe to be themselves.
This year’s International Pride theme is Silence to Solidarity, according to the Kitsap Pride website. This brought the organizers to think about how music can fill the silence, and they landed on an 80’s “Remix” theme.
“We talked about making mix tapes. How music has helped fill space in the pandemic and how this is not our community’s first pandemic. It’s a crazy time for so many and we felt like this is a Remix. It’s familiar and different,” says Kitsap Pride’s post.
Performances included the Rainbow City Marching Band, DJ and drag, followed by Nite Wave — who played music from the ’80s. High schoolers gave speeches about acceptance and started chants and cheers.
“Show me what community looks like,” said one into a microphone.
“This is what community looks like,” the crowd yelled back.
Red Lanenga brought her creations to sell. Cozy, silly creatures she calls “grief babies” were strewn around her tent. Last year, she lost her sister and created a comfort creature with arms to wrap around and hug you.
“People love hugs,” she said.
The Navy Yard City resident said she has two queer children, and she wants to support Pride.
“I just love the variety and love everybody, and it makes me happy,” Lanenga said.
Hugs were also given out by people, in addition to Lanenga’s creations.
An organization called Free Mom Hugs offered hugs to anyone who needed one, or perhaps don’t have parents who accept them.
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Free Mom Hugs goes to all the Pride events, said Krystal Wiita-Krech, one of the members of the Kitsap group, but give hugs year-round.
“We’re here to support the community and people displaced,” she said. The group is invited to weddings sometimes, and members have even walked people down the aisle. Members sometimes serve as parental figures to young people in the community who need advice from someone accepting or just someone to talk to.
Wiita-Krech said she raised her daughter to love whoever she wants, and to her Pride means equity.
Ella Cooper, 15, and Clara Glasgow, 16, were at Gordon Field to celebrate their first Pride event.
“It’s been awesome,” Cooper said. “We’ve made so many cool new friends.”
To these two members of the LGBTQ community, Pride celebrates acceptance, safety and inclusivity.
A national organization for LGBTQ scientists and engineers held a booth at Pride. Out to Innovate hosts conferences for people in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. They give out recognition and awards, as well as scholarships, said Marcie Mathis, an engineer and member of the Pride board.
“We want to make the world friendlier for LGBTQ STEM folks,” she said.