Day Trip: Small-Town "Pride"

Indy’s Pride events draw crowds this month, but another celebration of inclusiveness in an unlikely location is getting some buzz: Spencer Pride Fest on June 3 in rural Owen County.
The Huffington Post recently shouted out the Southern Indiana burg (pop. 2,317) for the rejuvenated town square’s friendly, admission-free festival, which includes live music, a marketplace of 100 booths, free HIV testing by IU Health, and a Family Fun Area with a bounce houses and aerial silk lessons.
Also on the program: a Pride Pet Parade (12:30 p.m.) and The Ladies of Spencer Drag Show (4 p.m.), reportedly the only drag show in Indiana performed on a courthouse lawn.

“There is a perceived novelty in what we do, given our rural community nestled in the Heartland,” says Jonathan Balash, president and director of Spencer Pride. “People hear about small towns being small-minded, but that’s a big misconception. There is ignorance everywhere. There is knowledge everywhere. We work to make our town even more welcoming by supporting and educating people. We say that we are cultivating a community of compassion.”