‘Everyone belongs’ at 3rd annual St. George Pride Festival

ST. GEORGE – Rainbow flags and emblems could be seen all around as live music played in the background Saturday at Vernon Worthen Park during the third annual St. George Pride Festival.

At the 3rd annual St. George Pride Fest, St. George, Utah, Sept. 22, 2018 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

The pride festival capped events held during Pride Week by the nonprofit Pride of Southern Utah. Organizers said they believe over 1,000 people attended Saturday’s event, which started at 3 p.m.

The theme of this year’s Pride Week in Southern Utah was “Everyone Belongs.”

“Because in reality, a lot of people in the LGBTQ-plus community don’t believe they belong – don’t believe they fit into society … their family or their faith,” said Stephen Lambert, director of Pride of Southern Utah.

“So it’s important to send that message (of belonging) to make sure everyone feels like they are important, that they do have something to contribute to the fabric of our society and that they, as an individual, matter.”

See Lambert featured in the video above.

Many people attended Saturday’s pride festival and were treated to a lineup of food trucks and various booths featuring LGBTQ-plus supporting entities. Among them were the Dixie LGBTQ Teen Alliance, the ACLU of Utah, Equality Utah, the Dove Center and many others.

At the 3rd annual St. George Pride Fest, St. George, Utah, Sept. 22, 2018 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Lambert called together a “pride walk” around 8 p.m. that allowed attendees to go on a stage and shout out what they had pride in. Many affirmed their pride in who they are as a part of the LGBTQ-plus community. Others shouted their support for friends and family who were LGBTQ-plus.

Among those who did the pride walk was a girl who said she was proud of her two mothers — a woman who publicly came out as lesbian and a “mama dragon” who warned others not to mess with her LGBTQ children.

Lambert said he was “beyond words” at the turnout, citing all the support at the event.

“The number of vendors who showed up, the number of participants that showed up, people throughout the LGBTQ community, allies and their families,” he said. “I’ve spoken to so many people today, and I’m just thrilled with everything that’s happened.”

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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4 Comments

  • comment September 24, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    So much for free speech. If you post something against SGNews liberal agenda it gets kicked. Wonder if this comment will even make it

    • Avatar photo Paul Dail September 25, 2018 at 8:57 am

      Comment, we don’t delete comments based on political slant. Previously, we were only blocking comments that included egregious content. We have even sometimes permitted profanity if those words are the only blemish on an otherwise intelligent, constructive comment. However, we have been re-examining our comments section in an attempt to maintain civil discourse. Comments that are clearly just trolling or baiting other commenters, including name calling or personal attacks on other commenters – especially, but not exclusively, if the comment doesn’t include any reference to the article in question – are being deleted. It’s not a perfect system, as there are a few different people who monitor comments with their own barometers for what is “crossing the line,” but if you have had comments deleted, that is the only reason I can imagine.

      Even your own comments, where you changed your anonymous “identity” (User ID) in an attempt to appear as other regular commenters, were approved if you recall. I just changed your ID and requested that you refrain from doing so.

      Paul Dail
      ST. GEORGE NEWS
      Editor in chief

    • Avatar photo Paul Dail September 26, 2018 at 7:23 am

      And yes, I did just delete your comment where you called me a bigot, as I just stated we delete comments that are clearly “just trolling or baiting other commenters, including name calling or personal attacks on other commenters – especially, but not exclusively, if the comment doesn’t include any reference to the article in question.”

      Paul Dail
      Editor in chief

  • Rex September 25, 2018 at 7:06 am

    I Wonder if someone showed up to this event wearing a straight and proud shirt if they would be made to feel like they belong?

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