Mid-Missouri PrideFest begins Saturday with safety measures in place
Euphenie Andre
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The 25th annual Mid-Missouri PrideFest is set to kick off Saturday afternoon, featuring live performances, food trucks, and more than 100 vendors and activity booths.
The two-day festival will take place at Rose Music Hall and take up a portion of Park Avenue. Attendees can enter through Park Avenue at the west end, as well as at St. James and Ash streets and Orr and Ash streets.
According to the event’s emergency plan, 20-25 staff members and 75 additional volunteers will be on site.
Organizers will be monitoring the weather at all times during the event and, in the case of extreme weather, will tell guests and event staff to take shelter at Rose Music Hall and in nearby parking garages and businesses, according to the emergency plan.
In a non-weather emergency scenario, event staff will alert guests if an evacuation is necessary over the festival’s intercom system.
All guests will also go through security checkpoints when entering the event, and all bags are subject to search.
The PrideFest Parade is set to start at Noon on Sunday. The parade begins at Ninth and Ash Street, heads south, and turns west on East Broadway, then north up Fifth Street. Fifth Street will also be a designated quiet zone for people who are sensitive to loud noise.
Festival President Janet Davis released a statement Friday addressing safety for the weekend.
“We always have a lot of security and safety measures in place. Whether you see them or not. We don’t feel that the general public, patrons or vendors need to see what is protecting them unless it’s needed. We are extraordinarily fortunate in this city to have never had an issue in 25 years! “
PrideFest gates open at Noon on Saturday and close at 10:30 p.m. both days. Parke Ave. will remain blocked during the day for the weekend, with through traffic expected to be open around midnight in the evenings.
Outside food and drink are not allowed inside the property. Due to space limits, blankets and chairs are not allowed inside Rose Music Hall after 6 p.m. Service animals are welcome.
The festival is free and family-friendly.