This year’s Pride in the Park returns to Crapo Park on Saturday – Burlington Hawk Eye
On a hot Saturday night in 1969, a crowd gathered outside the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village as police rousted patrons of that gay bar. The throng continued to grow, and the next day, thousands filled the street outside the Stonewall Inn.
June 28, 1969 went down in history as the Stonewall Uprising and the LGBT movement for freedom from discrimination was born.
A year after the Stonewall Riots, LGBT activists in Chicago and Los Angeles marched to mark the anniversary of the event, and a tradition was born: Today, in communities around the U.S., Pride in the Park celebrations occur on the last Saturday each June.
The first Burlington Pride event in Crapo Park in 2018 was more than a celebration of diverse sexuality and gender identities — it was a celebration of community and a chance for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community to get to know each other and an opportunity for supporters of equal rights and decency to finally meet the people they’ve been supporting.
Burlington resident Cody Flietner, who helped organize the 2018 event, said, “With due time and process, the number of people who don’t agree or understand will dwindle. But they won’t disappear.” Flietner is locally renowned as the drag queen Cokeena Addiction.
This year, Burlington Pride’s LGBTQ event takes place in Crapo Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and there are plenty of activities for people — gay or straight — to enjoy.
Mother Moon Yoga is offering a free yoga class at 10 a.m. focusing on a rainbow chakra-balancing, heart-opening flow. Refreshments will be provided. Bring your own mat.
Live entertainment emceed by Miss Burlington, Emily Folker, begins at 3 p.m. and features Candi Addickion, Destiny Michelle, Matthew Polizzi as Hell-o Shotz Galore and Timothy Roy Gilbert as SparklePuss.
A raffle will be held just before the entertainment begins.
For the kids there are paint your own bath bombs, a paint splatter room, crafts and a parade.
Food and beverages will be available; booths from 40-plus vendors include Big River Popcorn, the Art Center of Burlington, Burlington Public Library, the Girl Scouts, Des Moines County Humane Society, Scentsy, Sacred Bath Botanicals, Shearer Foods, MB Crafts, G’s Cookie Jar, Whitton’s Creations and many more.
The DMC Public Health’s COVIDmobile will be on hand to give Johnson/Johnson and Pfizer vaccination shots. Kids 12 and up can get a Pfizer vaccination with parental consent.
Pride in the Park is a rain or shine event, and there’s a chance of showers Saturday, so remember: You can’t have a rainbow without a little rain.
Follow Burlington Pride on Facebook for updates and details.
If you have items or baskets to donate for the raffles, you can drop them off at OhZONE at 852 Washington St. in Burlington or message Burlington Pride to have your donation picked up.