Gather the family together, because Polk Pride is coming back.
Polk County, nestled between two metropolitan areas with huge Pride celebrations of their own, has always been viewed as more conservative than its surrounding locations. So, it came as a surprise to some when the Lakeland Youth Alliance and PFLAG of Polk County came together in 2015 to throw a Pride celebration in Lakeland’s Munn Park.
“We were unsure of the way that we would be received,” says Scott Guria, co-chair of Polk Pride. “But we were welcomed by the city government and so many of our residents, and were overwhelmed by the turnout for all of the events that we had. We had an estimated 4,000 participants and we look to grown even bigger this year.”
The event was met with nothing but a positive response from the community, which led the groups to bring it back for 2016.
“The LGBTA people that are from Polk County and surrounding areas were surprised and excited to have an open public event that welcomed all people,” Guria says. “I have even had straight parents that have reached out thanking us for bringing this celebration of diversity to this community, because they are trying to raise children that accept and embrace people from all walks of life.”
The city commissioners from Polk County’s two largest cities, Lakeland and Winter Haven, will be making proclamations for Pride week this year. The event has also been welcomed by the largely Christian community of Polk County. Lakeland alone has more than 300 churches.
“We have several LGBT-affirming churches in the area that will be vendors at the Pride festival and are organizing an interfaith worship service,” Guria says.
While Pride in the Park, the main Polk Pride festival, will take place June 18, again in Lakeland’s Munn Park, the celebration will actually spread across five days.
The Lakeland Youth Alliance starts off with a teen event for ages 13-20 at St. David’s Episcopal Church. Pride 4 Youth is a gathering of the young LGBT community to meet and mingle over food, music and fun.
The celebration continues at St. David’s Episcopal Church June 16 with Pride in Faith, a non-denominational service of worship.
Lakeland’s Lake Mirror Theater will feature Jade Esteban Estrada in ICONS: The Gay and Lesbian History of the World, Vol. 1 June 17.
“It is a hilarious performance, and I couldn’t think of a better way to start Pride weekend,” Guria says.
ICONS is a solo musical comedy created and performed by Estrada. During the course of the show, Estrada portrays Sappho, Michelangelo, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Sylvia Rivera and Ellen Degeneres in a showcase of LGBT history.
Pride in the Park is the main event for Polk Pride and will be bigger than last year.
“This year will see more vendors and there will be live music,” says Guria. “We will have local bands including Polk County native Danny Pate, who was a contestant on American Idol, as well as Mike Monts De Oca and a performance by Kathryn Nevets with the cast of Club Main Street.”
The party continues after the festival at Club Main Street for Pride After Dark hosted by Nevets.
The celebration concludes with an LGBT speaker forum brunch at Frescos Underground June 19.
Guria recognizes that between Orlando’s Come Out with Pride and the gulf coast’s huge numbers at Tampa Pride and St. Pete Pride, the community of Polk County has lots of celebrations to pick from throughout the year, but nothing can compare to your community celebrating in your own backyard.
“Pride celebrations are an important part of being a visible part of a community. Having a pride celebration in your own community shows the value of diversity and creates a sense of belonging for every member in the community,” Guria says. “Lakeland has a warm, vibrant and growing downtown experience, and Polk Pride is an integral part of it.”
