STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSSICK
Get ready for the Wood River Valley to take on the colors of the rainbow when the Sawtooth Botanical Garden presents the fourth annual Sun Valley Pride Festival.
The festival runs Wednesday, June 26, through Sunday, June 30, and will include an ‘80s-themed festival at the garden and the popular Pride Ride Bike Parade.
“Our team’s vision is to welcome the LGBTQIA+ community and our allies to celebrate diversity and inclusion throughout the valley during Pride Month, so we are thrilled to officially team up with David Seelos, last year’s Sun Valley Pride founder, and his volunteer group of pro event managers, adding value to our growing list of venues, sponsors, and supporters,” said Jen Smith, the garden’s executive director. “We hope that participants will especially appreciate what will be fun and thoughtful educational components of the Sun Valley Pride Festival.”
THE LINEUP:
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26—PRIDE IN THE GARDEN FESTIVAL will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. This colorful event has become an extremely popular with many members of the Sun Valley community for its frivolity, gaiety and joy of life.
It will include food and beverages, education and entertainment and speakers. Tickets are $100, available at https://www.sbgarden.org/
THURSDAY, JUNE 26—18+ “SPUDS, STUDS & STILLETTOS” at 7:30 p.m. at The Argyros in Ketchum. The drag show, open to those 18 and older, will be hosted by Miss Jessica, who was recently named Colorado’s Drag Entertainer of the Year. Tickets are $100 for VIP low stage-side tables and a chance to meet the drag queens at 7. Tickets cost $50 for high cabaret tables and $25 for general admission, available at https://www.theargyros.org/calendar/spudsstudsstillettos
FRIDAY, JUNE 28—DRAG BINGO at Ketchum’s Limelight Hotel. This event, open to all ages, will feature Denver’s Miss Jessica calling the numbers for big prizes from local businesses and the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. Drag performances will punctuate the Bingo playing. Tickets are $40 at https://www.sbgarden.org/ and include food, beverages and Bingo.
SATURDAY, JUNE 29—SUN VALLEY PRIDE RIDE BIKE PARADE at 11 a.m. Bicyclists are invited to decorate their bikes and join in the fun as the parade circumnavigates the Sun Valley Village. It will wind up at Sun Valley’s Festival Meadow at noon.
The free event, open to the public, will include DJs, food and beverages, speakers, informational booths from nonprofits and sponsors and drag performances. Parking is available at the Sun Valley Pavilion parking lot, while disabled parking is available at Our Lady of the Snows church. Biking, walking and car pooling are encouraged.
SUNDAY, JUNE 30—DRAG BRUNCH will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. Tickets are $65, available at https://checkout.square.site/buy/4YNVS43P7HCYE3NK5FOCSJ4D. The event includes brunch fare, mimosas, non-alcoholic beverages and performances.
Smith said organizers decided to showcase drag talent this year, given the 600-plus pieces of anti-LGBT legislation passed in the United States this year and the growing anti-LGBT sentiment worldwide.
“Drag Queens led the charge in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City,” she said, referring to the police raid at a gay bar in Greenwich Village that spurred the Pride movement. “And these amazing performance artists are still leading the way against LGBT discrimination with laughter, fun and fabulousness.”
Sponsors and supporters include Sun Valley Resort, Cox Communications, Despo’s, Toni’s Sun Valley Ice Cream, Independent Goods, The Argyros, Limelight Hotel and individual underwriters. A GoFundMe page is accepting tax-deductible donations to offset the cost of events at https://www.gofundme.com/f/pride-in-the-garden-festival.
Proceeds from the Festival will benefit diversity, equity and inclusion programming, as well as general operations at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden.
The Pride in the Garden Festival on Wednesday night asks people to show their colors and enjoy life.