By Pauline Benetti
Interested in fun?
Come to Town Park on Saturday, June 13, from 11am – 4pm and enjoy Pride Day in Pagosa. The Park will be full of brightly colored banners and flags along with people of all ages having fun – some in costume, parading, listening to music, playing games, eating, involved in art projects, having their photos taken, their faces painted, etc. – very actively celebrating Pride Day in Pagosa Springs.
The community is coming together in a big way in support of this special day. Here is an incomplete (at press time) list of sponsors: founding interfaith sponsors Pagosa Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Community United Methodist Church, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church… plus Archuleta Democratic Party, Pagosa Baking Company, Pagosa Springs Medical Center, Town Tourism Board, Black Bart’s Brunch, Paula Jo Miller, Peaceful Lead Spiritual Care, Counseling, Trophies Tomorrow and Bank of the San Juans.
Tables with valuable information and fun or tasty handouts include at press time: Planned Parenthood/HIV Testing, Rise Above Violence, Archuleta Dems, PJ Miller, Four Corners Alliance for Diversity, Pagosa Community Initiative, Community United Methodist Church, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Pagosa Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Archuleta County Dept. of Health, Equality Pagosa Photo Booth, Ruby Sisson Library, Pagosa Baking Company, and PSHS Equality Club.
Schedule of Events
11:00 – Opening
11:30 – Welcome, Announcements, Proclamation, Legislation Update by Rep. Katie Stewart
12:15 – PSHS Equality Club
12:30 – Break, Visit Booth
12:45 – Drag Queen Aria PettyOne
1:00 – Music, Dancing, Booths
1:30 – On the Shoulders of Giants – Shane Nelson
1:45 – Music, Dancing, Booths
2:00 – Costume Contest and Parade
3:00 – Drag Queen Aria PettyOne
3:15 – Music, Dancing, Booths
3:45 – Closing
4:00 – After Party at the Neon Mallard
Celebration is very important; at the same time, let us not overlook the more serious side of this event. At the June 2 Town Council meeting, the Council approved a serious document, the Proclamation Celebrating 2026 LGBTQ+ Pride Month proclaiming the month of June as Pride Month.
“Serious” because that proclamation speaks in terms of the “pursuit of equal rights” and “social justice,” of the town’s efforts to build “an inclusive, safe and affirming community”, of the “fundamental right” to self expression “at school, in their families, in public or in their workplace.” This is the bedrock upon which this land of immigrants was established and continues to thrive. That is how serious the matter is!
In fact, the Pagosa Pride mission statement underscores that serious intent: to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, to advocate for equity and social justice, and to provide space for people of all colors, gender identities and sexual orientations to feel safe, welcome and loved.
Continuing in this serious vein, Colorado voters will be asked to vote this year on two ballot measures that appear under the rubric “Protect Kids CO” and claim to protect children but at the clear expense of some. An appropriate question at this point might be, should we legislate on matters we know so little about? Or should we seek to do no harm and allow parents and their medical advisors deal with the issues surrounding gender dysphoria until our actions are based on knowledge?
The Planning Team extends an invitation to the community at large. Join the celebrants in Town Park. Enjoy the community and the fun. And give some thought (and a bit of research) to the upcoming ballot initiatives.
For more information, email to pagosapride@gmail.com.