The Ottawa Family Pride Fest is returning for its second year. There will be food, vendors, and crafts Saturday in Washington Square Park and the Jordon Block in downtown Ottawa. Event Organizer Dylan Conmy says there won’t be a drag show this year, but there will be a lip sync competition with a cash prize. There will also be a bona fide parade this year named the John Fisher Dann. However the pet parade is still happening at 2:30pm.
Although the event is supposed to be fun and family-friendly, there will be speakers talking about serious topics. Conmy says it’s been a tough year for the LGBTQ community with a lot of bills against the transgender community and hatred spread online. He says some family members of victims from the Club Q nightclub shooting last year in Colorado Springs, Colorado will be at the fest.
But he says it’s wonderful that the city of Ottawa and other local organizations support the fest and there was no question they were going to have it again this year.