Local community shows solidarity at Longmont Pride Festival

Rainbows decorated Roosevelt Park as community members came together for the Longmont Pride Festival, a free event Friday evening to celebrate and close out LGBTQ Pride Month.

LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit Out Boulder County coordinated the festival, having taken over the event from a different planning group in 2016. Juan Moreno, director of corporate sponsorships and special events for Out Boulder County, said the nonprofit was hoping for 3,000 attendees by the end of the festival, which ran from 4 to 8 p.m.

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling earlier Friday in 303 Creative LLC vs. Elenis, the festival carved out time for a solidarity rally at 6 p.m. Around 10 speakers took the stage under the park pavilion’s roof to condemn the court’s decision, which ruled in favor of a Colorado website designer who did not want to serve same-sex couples.

Several of Friday’s speakers also issued statements earlier in the day, including Out Boulder County and the Boulder Chamber. While many took a somber tone, they also thanked the Longmont Pride attendees for showing up and finding joy in the event, despite the ruling.

“Look around you, and see how many LGBTQ people are here and are allies,” said Mardi Moore, executive director of Out Boulder County, to the hundreds of Pride guests surrounding the stage. “Give it up for yourselves.”

Moore was followed by remarks from local and state officials, including state Rep. Brianna Titone, the first openly transgender state legislator elected in Colorado. In addition to encouraging guests to vote this fall, the officials spoke on how the court’s opinion makes it possible for businesses to refuse service to other protected groups on First Amendment grounds.

“We are now being governed by six people who have life tenure,” Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy told the crowd. “And let’s be clear: This case would not have arisen but for the fact that people continue to hold homophobic views.”

A sense of outrage at the court’s decision was shared by many speakers, including Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett, Longmont Mayor Joan Peck and Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. All affirmed Boulder County as an open and affirming community for LGBTQ individuals and emphasized their commitment to keeping it that way.

In his address, Dougherty also mentioned Thursday’s ruling on affirmative action, which made it unlawful for colleges to consider race as a factor in admissions.

“Normally, when we come together for Longmont Pride, it is a cause for great celebration to be in this wonderful community and be together,” he said. “The last 48 hours have been no reason to celebrate, because … the U.S. Supreme Court, in just two decisions, took two giant steps back for equality in this country.”

Other speakers were Boulder County NAACP President Annett James, Boulder Chamber’s Senior Director of Policy Programs Jonathan Singer and local legal expert Jean Dubofsky. Broomfield Mayor Guyleen Castriotta and Lyons Mayor Hollie Rogin were also present but did not speak.

This is the first year the festival has been held at Roosevelt Park; it was moved from its usual spot near Fourth Avenue and Kimbark Street to take the event off pavement and make it cooler for guests. Continued from previous years was the family-friendly, sober aspect of the festival, which Moreno said stands in contrast to many of Boulder County’s other Pride events.

“It’s a tradition that was passed on to us when we took over the event, and we always want to make sure that we honor that because Pride is for everybody,” he said.

The festival featured over 100 booths representing a wide variety of local businesses and organizations, including the Longmont Public Library, Envision Community Church, Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement and St. Vrain Valley Safe Schools Coalition.

“You get to know and love these people, so it’s been a blessing to be able to step that up in the sponsorship level,” said Natasha Hubbard, with Longmont’s Hubbard Homes, the presenting sponsor of this year’s festival.

The threat of rain didn’t deter visitors, who flocked to the park with Pride flags draped over shoulders, held in hands and even attached to their dogs’ collars. Between the live musical performances and vendor booths, guests could play games like cornhole and volleyball or receive hugs from a group of supportive parents.

A large crowd also came together for a Visibility March through downtown Longmont, led by Out Boulder County youth program assistant Chris Castañeda. Participants held signs and shouted, “We are Longmont, very gay Longmont,” along with other chants, as they paraded up and down Main Street.

“We’re going to be loud, we’re going to be proud, and we’re going to show everybody that we are not going anywhere,” Castañeda said.