LGBT Festival Receives More Support as Years Progress

The LGBT community and the Upper Cumberland PRIDE Festival receive more support as the years progress.

That is according to Upper Cumberland PRIDE board member Michael Bean.

“As the years progress, more people care about it, more people come down, more vendors show up,” Bean said. “So I do feel like it has gotten better over the years.”

Bean said vendors from across Tennessee will come to Cookeville to show support for the LGBT community.

“We have got Nashville Cares, they come from Nashville. Chattanooga Cares is coming this year from Chattanooga,” Bean said. “So, I do feel like we have gotten more support over the years. Several local churches will be there, the Universalist church will be there. ”

The 6th Annual Upper Cumberland PRIDE Festival continues to grow, Bean said.

“I think almost forty vendors are going to come down, different nonprofits, that will be disseminating information for many different things that are LGBT related,” Bean said. “And other local companies that will come down and sell their wares.”

Mobile HIV/STI testing will be available, along with activities for children, Bean said.

The event will take place rain or shine.

“Bring an umbrella, most of the vendors will have tents. I think they may all have tents,” Bean said. “Other than that we don’t really have an escape plan for the rain. So we are going to have to hope it doesn’t rain.”

The Upper Cumberland PRIDE Festival starts noon on Saturday, June 2.