BREMERTON — In 1997, a handful of members from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from around Kitsap County came together for a potluck picnic. This afternoon of good food, friends, and fun in a safe and supportive space became the county’s first Pride festival.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 16 in Bremerton’s Evergreen Rotary Park, Kitsap Pride Network (KPN) will host the 20th celebration of Pride in Kitsap County. Today, this day of unity and understanding boasts an entertainment stage with musical performances, a food court and LGBT-supportive vendors from all over the county, including nonprofits, healthcare providers, churches, retailers and more.
“Kitsap Pride is about connection and visibility and shouldn’t be contained to just one day a year. This is why we’re using our anniversary to highlight some of the great work done by other LGBT-supportive organizations in Kitsap County,” said KPN President Michael Goodnow, who has been working to coordinate Pride activities in Kitsap County since the original celebration in 1997.
Goodnow went on to add: “Our first Pride had about 35 people. Today, hundreds attend Kitsap Pride, including families of all different types. While there’s clearly more work to be done when it comes to protections for LGBT individuals, it’s inspiring to see how the community and our allies have come together to create a place where people don’t have to be afraid of embracing who they are.”
KPN was formed over a decade ago to, in part, plan and execute the annual Kitsap Pride celebration and to provide year-round events and visibility for the LGBT community in Kitsap County. Earlier Kitsap Pride celebrations were organized by individual volunteers and several different area nonprofits.
Like Goodnow, Marcie Mathis remembers that first Pride fondly and is happy to see how the event and LGBT support has grown in Kitsap County and nationwide. Mathis, with Goodnow, is a co-chair for this year’s Pride celebration.
For the next 20 years, Mathis hopes that more LGBT-identified individuals will find the love and support they need to live their best lives.
“While the LGBT community has made great strides, there are still far too many people being stigmatized in their families and workplaces for who they are or who they love. That’s just not acceptable. Kitsap Pride is about letting these people know we’re there for them, that they aren’t alone,” said Mathis.
Vendor registration information and a complete calendar of events for Kitsap Pride 20 can be found at www.kitsappride.org.
Kitsap Pride Network, located in Bremerton, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBT community and allies through education, entertainment, outreach and celebration of diversity, including the annual Pride Festival in Bremerton’s Evergreen Park.
Kitsap Pride is a nonprofit event organized by volunteers throughout Kitsap County. For more information on Kitsap Pride, how you can participate or event dates and times, visit KitsapPride.org, www.facebook.com/kitsappride or twitter.com/kitsappride.
— Edited by Michelle Beahm
