This spring, as St. Louis waited for news of final plans and headliners for the 45th annual PrideFest, we instead heard troubling news about funding for the fest. On March 25, Pride St. Louis announced that Anheuser-Busch had declined to sponsor the fest after more than 30 years. Additionally, funding outside of the Anheuser-Busch sponsorship was not meeting expectations, and the fest was facing a $150,000 shortfall.
But the president of Pride St. Louis, Marty Zuniga, made it clear from the start: Cancelling PrideFest was never an option. Instead, the organization turned to the community for support through its #45for45 campaign, a grassroots effort encouraging individuals to donate whatever they can to help Pride St. Louis continue its work, both with PrideFest and beyond. Donations of $45 or more earn supporters an anniversary lapel pin.
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“This anniversary is a testament to the strength, resilience, and love within our community,” Zuniga said in the #45for45 announcement. “While we are deeply disappointed that Anheuser-Busch has chosen to step away from supporting PrideFest this year, we remain hopeful that the community will step up where they have stepped down. The #45for45 campaign is an opportunity for everyone, whether you’ve marched in the parade, attended our events, or simply believe in equality, to help ensure that these efforts continue for years to come.”
To that end, the festival has also announced that, for the first time, festival passes will be required for entry. Festival passes are $10 and grant wearers access to both Saturday and Sunday activities. Attendees can order passes in advance for pick-up at the festival or purchase a pass at the gate. “This is the first time in Pride St. Louis’ 45-year history that we will have a festival pass admission to PrideFest,” wrote organizers in an Instagram post explaining the update. “We believe this step is necessary to ensure the long-term stability of our organization and the events we host.” The same post also shared that the Grand Pride Parade remains free to the public, and those unable to afford the festival pass can access free admission options through the fest’s community partners. Those who donated $45 or more to the #45for45 campaign before the pass announcement can also access a free pass by emailing [email protected].
As community members have stepped up to help Pride St. Louis’ work continue, organizers have turned the festival’s focus back on them. Jordan Braxton, director of diversity and inclusion for Pride St. Louis and the fest’s parade director, says this year’s PrideFest, held June 28 and 29 in the parks surrounding Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, will be more community-driven than ever before.
“As of now, we have decided that there are not going to be any corporations having any naming rights on anything,” Braxton says. “So you will see community organizations being centered and focused on and uplifted… The community is actually going to be the presenting sponsor this year.”
Festivities will still include the Pride parade, as well as a children’s area, a large food court, health and wellness booths, artists and vendors, and a main stage featuring live entertainment, which Braxton says will include more local artists and performers than in previous years. This year’s headliners include Flayana Boss, Jordin Sparks, Madison Rose, and David Archuleta. “It’s going to be the same great festival that we had in the past,” she says.
With the budget woes and wider threats to the LGBTQ+ community coming from state and federal governments, it would be easy to tone things down, to do something smaller or quieter this June. But Braxton says that is just the opposite of what the community needs right now.
“I want y’all to come out to Pride and party like we’ve never partied before,” Braxton says. “Show them that we are still here. There’s nothing that you can say, there’s no legislation you can write, there’s nothing you can do that will ever take away the joy of being queer. Maybe we need to go back to what we said in the ’70s and ’80s: We’re queer. We’re here. Get used to it. Because we’re not gonna go anywhere. You’re not gonna stop our joy. One thing we have to say about the queer community is that we are resilient. We know how to stand up and fight for what we want and what we deserve.”
Know Before You Go
When: June 28 & 29; Grand Pride Parade begins at noon on June 29
Where: Downtown, in the parks surrounding Soldiers Memorial and City Hall
Cost: PrideFest weekend passes are $10, VIP Experience packages start at $130
What to bring: Sealed water bottles, lawn chairs, soft-sided lunchbox-style containers for personal food
What not to bring: Pets (other than service animals), coolers, tents, glass containers, outside alcohol, weapons of any kind
What to wear: Whatever you want (as long as it complies with the city’s ordinances)
