The fifth annual Bloomington Pridefest to celebrate LGBTQ culture and community will take place at 3 p.m. on Aug. 25.
The event will take place on Kirkwood Avenue and will feature live performances from the winner of season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Sasha Velour, as well as performances from others such as Diane Coffee, Kool Breed and Huckleberry Funk.
"There will be resources, there will be entertainment," Doug Bauder, Director of the LGBTQ+ Culture Center said. "It's a fun festival to sort of kick off the new academic year."
Pridefest will have two stages, the Upland Stage, located in the CVS parking lot, and the Boston Scientific stage, located at Kirkwood and Lincoln. The workshops will begin at Monroe County Public Library at 11 a.m. and Huckleberry Funk will kick off the entertainment at the Upland stage at 3 p.m.
There will also be more than 90 vendor booths for nonprofit organizations and businesses, and other events to partake in around the area such as a poetry slam, activities for kids and food trucks.
"It's a community and a campus celebration specially timed to welcome new students back, to give them a taste that Bloomington is as queer-friendly a community as you're going to find here in the Midwest," Bauder said.
It's important to let people know that they are welcomed and supported in Bloomington and on campus, Bauder said.
Six workshops will be presented to enrich and educate the community and its allies, according to the Bloomington pride website.
There is a suggested $5 donation for all those in attendance.
