Attendee: Festival highlights diverse people joining together
Higher attendance and more vendors than in previous years have organizers declaring the Fifth annual Taylor Pride Music & Art Festival a great success.
The event Saturday in downtown’s Heritage Square Park featured a full roster of entertainers and was emceed by married drag performers under the stage names of Alexandria Van Cartier and Emma Sis.
A full roster of performers rocked the Samsung Stage Saturday, including the Austin Gay Men’s Chorus, during the Pride festival in downtown Taylor.
“I think Taylor is a lovely city with so much to offer and seeing the diversity of the city that has come out is what is really exciting today,” Sis said. “It’s important that we are bringing attention to marginalized (communities) in small cities. Regardless of whatever legislation is being passed, at the end of the day the love people have for each other is what is going to triumph over everything.”
Cartier has hosted the festival for three of its five years and is pleased to keep coming back.
“We’re here for community, and the community that shows up is the community that we’re here to serve,” Cartier said. “We’re here to have a good time, we’re here to celebrate each other and we’re here to be the diverse people that we are, together.”
The festival also featured art selections, with vendors selling a wide variety of crafts including many focused on the LGBTQ+ lifestyle. Sam Martinez, a Hutto author who writes queer paranormal and contemporary romance books, came out to be part of the community as much as sell books.
“It’s really just about sharing these amazing love stories. Even in the paranormal sphere, there’s a way to tackle the same type of social issues we experience now but through a lens that resonates more with people,” Martinez said.
Not everyone who attended the festival was there to commemorate Pride Day, including a group gathered on the outskirts to rally against what they called “celebrating sin.” The Rev. Caleb Ripple of Christ Fellowship Church, 1517 McLain St., said the group was not protesting but wished to help those whom he feels may be in pain from gender dysphoria.
Health care professionals describe the condition as dismay when a person feels his or her identity is mismatched with the gender assigned at birth.
“We’re here because we love our neighbors and we believe what the Bible says,” Ripple said. “We want individuals to turn from a path of destruction, but we’re also here because this is not good for our community. We’re here as salt and light to say we need something better.
And the better is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Despite attendees in the area with divergent viewpoints, police said the six-hour festival was not marred by any disruptions.
“The event was peaceful. The protesters were civil. There were no conflicts that required police intervention,” said Police Chief Henry Fluck said.
Officers set up a command center in the City Hall parking lot adjacent to the event and several officers provided security.
Visitors said the event created an affirming, uplifting sense of community.
Mandy and Brandon Nogle are parents of a nonbinary 16-year-old. Mandy Nogle said her child had been looking forward to the event to be around others who identify differently, because being a nonbinary teen can create a sense of isolation.
“It’s heartbreaking to know that some of these individuals haven’t had community support, familial support,” she added. “I’m grateful that my kid won’t have to know that pain.”
Though some attendees noted Mayor Dwayne Ariola had declined to issue a proclamation honoring Pride Day, they said that didn’t dampen Saturday’s festivities.
“I think people want to show the City Council and the community at large that we have their support, even if we don’t have the city’s support,” said Ben Morgan, president of Taylor Pride. “It’s just celebrating queer joy and queer love and coming together as a community. That’s what Taylor Pride does.”
Even though Ariola didn’t issue a proclamation, city approval for the festival was never in jeopardy, officials said.
District 136 state Rep. John Bucy III, a Democrat who represents portions of Williamson County and cities including Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park and northwest Austin, issued a resolution presented at the event by Rowen Kliethermes, a member of his staff.
“This is a (Texas House) member’s resolution saying that our office is incredibly supportive and proud of all the work they’re doing here,” Kliethermes said.
Meanwhile, the rejected city proclamation was printed on a large poster and titled “The People’s Proclamation.”
Attendees signed their support of it in lieu of the mayor’s signature.
