Norman Pride will host their sixth annual Pride Fest this weekend. With the theme “Pride Not Prejudice,” the festival will include music, vendors, food and headliners including drag queen Kornbread Jeté and music artist i.V KiNG.
President of Norman Pride Nathaniel Smith explained how making the festival in May allows for students to be involved.
“We wanted to make sure that the OU students have a Pride that they could go here,” Smith said. “We like to say that we kick off all of the prides.”
On Friday, a kickoff event will take place at 6 p.m. in east downtown Norman and go until 9 p.m. It will include the unveiling of the Pride Beer which Norman Pride has partnered up with Lazy Circles Brewing to sell throughout the weekend. Following this will be an 18 and older after party at Opolis, an entertainment venue downtown.
The Pride Festival on Saturday will be at Andrews Park and is set to begin at noon. It will include over 100 vendors, food trucks, live music and Norman’s largest drag show which hosts 17 drag queens. Bluebonnet Bar will host an after party with a performance by Oklahoman artist, Cheyanne Marie.
Sunday will conclude the weekend with an 8 a.m. Stride of Pride 5K at Ruby Grant Park and an 11 a.m. Pride weekend brunch at Legally Brewed. The final Pride Parade presented by Fowler Automotive will begin at 7 p.m. on downtown Main Street with the award announcements taking place immediately after at the Standard.
“This is a great time to come hang out and show your support while also shopping around with all of the local businesses,” Smith said.
This story was edited by Peggy Dodd and Anusha Fathepure. Kylie Caldwell and Avery Avery copy edited this story.
