Rainbow flags will fly high Friday and Saturday as Pride on the Plains hosts the first Pride celebration in Lee County.
This is the first Pride on the Plains, Chad Peacock president of Pride on the Plains said.
"Last June I went to Birmingham's, Montgomery's and Huntsville's Pride," Peacock said. "I came back and just realized that there's no reason why we shouldn't have something like that here in Auburn, Opelika and Lee County."
The festivities will start Friday at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday's events begin at noon.
"We have a growing community. We have a university. We have forward-thinking people," Peacock said. "There's no reason we should have to drive all the way to Birmingham, Atlanta or Montgomery to celebrate who we are. So I looked into it [hosting a Pride event] and went for it."
The Pride celebrations are for all of Lee County. That's why Friday's events are in Opelika and Saturday's events are in Auburn.
It's not Auburn Pride, it's Pride on the Plains, Peacock said.
"It was important to me to do something in Opelika and something in Auburn," Peacock said. "Next year we'll switch it and do the festival in Opelika and parade in Auburn. I didn't want it to be exclusive to Auburn."
Pride on the Plains is a family event meant for all ages.
"The thing I'm looking forward to the most is seeing kids watch the parade," Peacock said. "After we were in the Christmas parade, the thing I thought about most was if one kid watching this says 'hey, they're just like me,' it's making a difference in that kid's life."
Friday
- Pride Parade 6:30 p.m.
- Pride Speakers 7:30 p.m.
- Pride Dinner and Drinks 8 p.m.
- Pride-themed edition of The Golden Girls Drag Show 10 p.m.
The parade will start at Opelika Town Hall. It will move down Avenue A, turn left onto 7th Street, turn right onto Avenue B and finish at Courthouse Square.
There will be floats, cars and walking groups of local and statewide advocacy organizations, community groups, businesses and entertainers in the parade.
The 2018 Mr. and Miss. Pride on the Plains pageant winners will be featured in the parade. Jaidynn
After the parade, Pride on the Plains will host speakers from LGBTQ communities across Alabama.
The speakers will be Que Bell, co-founder of The Knights & Orchids Inc.; Darcy Corbitt, founder of the Darcy Jeda Corbitt Foundation and My Transition Partner Organization; and Meta Ellis, director of Montgomery Pride United.
Pride on the Plains then moves to Zazu Gastropub in Opelika for dinner and drinks.
After dinner is the official Parade After-Party at DeRailed Bar & Grill in Auburn for a special pride-themed edition of The Golden Girls Drag Show.
The show will feature special guests Fierce, from
Saturday
Saturday from noon- 6 p.m. Pride on the Plains will host a Pride Festival at Kiesel Park in Auburn. The festival is free to all and will feature:
- live music
- guest speakers
- local vendors
- advocacy groups
- non-profit organizations from across Alabama and Georgia.
- "Spacewalk of Auburn" Kid Zone featuring games, bounce houses and face painting
- food vendors
- alcohol vendors for guests 21 and over
The Pride Festival opening ceremonies will begin at noon with guest speakers Mallory Hagan, Lee
Entertainment will follow later at DeRailed Bar & Grill on the main stage.
The headline entertainers are Chi Chi Devayne,
Guests can also purchase limited “meet and greet” tickets to meet Chi Chi Devayne, Spikey Van
The hosts Saturday are Mark 590 and Cotaliya Vontrapp. Local artist, DJ SiD, will provide music throughout the Pride Festival.
Advocacy and non-profit groups Unity Wellness Center of East Alabama Medical Center, Mom’s Demand Action, PFLAG of Auburn, Equality Alabama, Auburn University Spectrum and more will be present at Saturday's festival.
Pride Festival
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