BG Pride Festival begins late July

Battle Ground Pride, a festival presented by Evoke Cascadia, will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the Battle Ground Community Center on 912 E. Main St.

Evoke Cascadia President Jessica Cole explained that the festival will celebrate and provide a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community, featuring a variety of fun activities. According to Cole, recognizing the community is an important part of fostering inclusivity and acceptance.

“I got involved by being a parent from the faith community [who] had kids come out… Growing up, we didn’t talk about sexual orientation and gender identity,” Cole explained.

The festival, open to all guests, will include a slew of entertainment. Performers from Metropolitan Performing Arts, a local musical theater group, will sing and play the guitar during the festivities. Batcave Games, a Vancouver game store, will attend, providing guests with activities and prize giveaways. Cole said a highlight of the festival is always the lip sync contest.

“We did that last year, and it was super fun. It was received well,” Cole said. “Some people were very good. Some people… obviously really enjoyed themselves doing it. That was my favorite part.”

A particular highlight of Battle Ground Pride is its resource fair. Local organizations from Clark County supporting the LGBTQ+ community will attend to introduce their services to improve wellness and livability.

“The resources are for the whole community. Public health services will be there, various groups for housing, free legal resources. They’re really for everyone,” Cole said.

This year marks Battle Ground Pride’s fourth annual festival and the second to be held in-person since the COVID-19 pandemic. Cole noted that the annual festival has seen an increase in resource fair attendees each year, providing valuable support and information to the community.

“It’s been very positive feedback. People say they enjoy the event,” Cole said. “My favorite part is seeing people come together in community and just having a really good time, connecting with people and participating in the different activities and events that we have.”

To learn more about the upcoming festival and activities, visit evokecascadia.org/battlegroundpride.