After controversy in 2024, town of Pineville to host first Pride celebration
Pineville will be hosting its first-ever Pride event Saturday, June 21.
Last year, local business owner Sara Longstreet was met with silence from the town council in response to her Pride event proposal and met with mayoral opposition to displaying Pride flags on Main Street. Now, Longstreet's Pride event is happening.
'Honestly I didn't think it was going to get approved,' Longstreet said in a phone interview Friday with The Charlotte Observer. 'I'm still sort of in shock that it's been approved and is actually happening next week.'
The free event, 'Pride Glow Party: Silent Disco,' will take place on the Pineville Town Hall lawn from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Guests are encouraged to wear neon and rainbow in support of the LGBTQ+ community and will receive wireless headphones playing their choice of dance, house, 90s, early 2000s and pop music.
All guests will be able to experience local food and drink vendors, face painting, an inflatable clubhouse, merchandise tent and photo booth.
Longstreet is the owner of Carolina Scoops Ice Cream and a leader in the small business community in downtown Pineville. She made her pitch to the town manager for approval, then the event was approved by a 3-1 vote at the May 13 town council meeting.
'It's important for the community because we do have a LQBTQ community in Pineville,' Longstreet said. 'We are small, but there is a community that needs to be supported.'
The mayor and four council members could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.
The proposal for a family-friendly Pride event and flag display did not make it to a vote last year. Longstreet said it seemed like there was internal miscommunication between the town council, mayor and town manager.
Longstreet credited her win this year to taking a different approach.
This year, she did not request the display of Pride flags on Main Street. She also sent her proposal to council members and said she had private conversations with most of them before the vote. She says she did this so they had time to think about her event and weren't blindsided at a meeting.
Longstreet says there have been no negative comments about the event on social media, and over 100 people have said they're attending so far.
'The biggest misperception is this isn't a political or religious event,' Longstreet said. 'That has nothing to do with Pride. Pride is about people and supporting the LGBTQ community in Pineville and beyond. Just creating a positive, loving environment where people can be who they want to be.'
Longstreet said the approval of the event has made her hopeful for the future, especially as a town council election approaches in November.
'It's events like this that get the young people involved and out in the community,' she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
26 minutes ago
- New York Times
Democrats to Protest Trump's Takeover of Kennedy Center With Pride Event
Five Democratic senators have rented a small theater at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and invited the producer of 'Hamilton' to stage a gay pride concert there as a form of symbolic protest against President Trump's takeover of the institution. The event, scheduled to take place on Monday night before an invited audience, will feature Broadway artists performing songs and readings. The concert, hosted by Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado, is being called 'Love Is Love,' a slogan used by the gay rights movement and quoted by the 'Hamilton' creator Lin-Manuel Miranda when his show won at the Tony Awards in 2016. 'What's happening in the world is deeply concerning, but even in our darkest hours, we must continue to seek out the light,' Mr. Hickenlooper said in a statement. 'The L.G.B.T.Q. community has long embodied this resilience, maintaining joy and creativity in the face of adversity.' Mr. Trump took over the Kennedy Center in February after purging its previously bipartisan board of Democratic appointees and replacing them with his allies. He denounced its programming as too 'wokey' and promised to usher in a 'Golden Age in Arts and Culture.' The senators, who exercised a prerogative extended to members of Congress to rent space in the center, chose this week for the event because June has long been when supporters of the gay community have celebrated Pride Month. Mr. Trump, in a departure from previous presidents, has not acknowledged Pride Month, and some of his actions in recent months have prompted concern in the L.G.B.T.Q. community. Since his takeover of the center, several groups have canceled events there, saying they no longer feel welcome. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Anna Camp claps back at Jade Whipkey age difference critics
Actress Anna Camp has been making the red carpet rounds for her new comedy, Bride Hard. Camp reunites with her Pitch Perfect costar Rebel Wilson in the movie -- now in theaters -- as a bridal party fights off a mercenary group. At a June 18 event for Bride Hard, Camp made her red carpet debut alongside her new girlfriend, stylist Jade Whipkey. A social media post of the couple on Pink News stirred up a lot of discussion as commenters had feelings on the 18-year age gap between the duo. Camp, 42, popped into the replies to clear up some of the debate on her relationship with Whipkey, 24. MORE POP CULTURE: Megan Thee Stallion jumped on the Love Island "mamacita" meme "I've dated men exactly my age and Jade is far more mature than any of them," Camp said in the comment. "We have more in common than anyone else I've ever dated and can literally talk about anything and everything. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I'm wishing everyone well :) Especially this Pride month." The debate continued on in the comments over the relatively new relationship, but Camp shared her side.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Anna Camp hits back at criticism of age gap with girlfriend Jade Whipkey
Anna Camp is hitting back against criticism of her relationship. The "Pitch Perfect" star, 42, took to the comment section on Instagram last week to defend her budding romance with stylist Jade Whipkey, 24. "I've dated men exactly my age and Jade is FAR more mature than any of them," she wrote, of the pair's 18-year age gap under a post from PinkNews. Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp reveal wedding fiascos: 'Almost ruined' the day "We have more in common than anyone else I've ever dated and can literally talk about anything and everything," she continued. "Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'm wishing everyone well :) Especially this Pride month." Camp's comments come shortly after the couple's red carpet debut earlier this month. Attending the premiere of "Bride Hard," which saw the actress return to the big screen alongside fellow "Pitch Perfect" alum Rebel Wilson, Camp and Whipkey posed side by side and embraced for the cameras. The moment helped confirm a romance that had been rumored for several months following several cryptic Instagram posts. Camp was previously married to "Pitch Perfect" star Skylar Astin. The couple finalized their divorce in 2019, after less than two years of marriage.
