ST. LOUIS — The dates for this year's PrideFest in St. Louis have been released.
The two-day celebration that attracts over 325,000 people to the city's downtown will take place on June 29 and 30, according to Pride St. Louis' event page. The event is said to include a main stage, DJ/dance area, VIP experience, vendor fair, local artists, children's area, food court, non-profit village and grand pride parade.
Editor's note: The above-related video was originally broadcast during the 2023 Grand Pride Parade.
This year's theme is "Unleash your Pride."
“This year’s theme celebrates the pride in everyone," said Pride St. Louis’ Board President Marty Zuniga. "We want St. Louis to unleash their true selves, to give the community a safe space to be proud of their pride!”
Applications are open on the event's webpage for food vendors, commercial booths, artists and parade entries. Each has its specific deadlines. Click here to apply.
The announcement was made on the same day committees in the Missouri legislature heard multiple bills that critics say target LGBTQ+ people, just days after Missouri GOP officials said bills targeting the community would take a back seat. The bills include:
- HB 2309 - Establishes the "Defining SEX Act." Creates statutory definitions of the terms "boy," "father," "female," "girl," "male," "man," "mother," "sex" and "woman."
- HB 1519: Prohibits healthcare institutions or professionals from being required to perform gender-affirmation surgery, if the procedures are contrary to the institution's or professional's beliefs.
- SB 728: Establishes a "Parents' Bill of Rights," which according to the bill "shall be construed to empower parents to enforce rights, as delineated in the act, to access records maintained by schools in which their children are enrolled in a timely manner or as specified in the act." Critics say the bill censors certain curricula and targets LGBTQ+ residents.
- HB 1674: Creates the "Employee Restroom and Locker Room Access Act." Employers would not be able to require sharing restrooms or locker rooms with members of the opposite sex. However, employers can provide single-occupancy restrooms or locker rooms designated as unisex and gender-neutral facilities open to all employees.
RELATED: Missouri GOP leaders say LGBTQ+ issues will take a back seat to child care, education policy in 2024
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