Month: October 2025

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.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mid-Missouri PrideFest began on Saturday afternoon and will continue through Sunday, running from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The event will result in several road closures and potential traffic disruptions in downtown Columbia throughout the weekend.

According to the Mid-Missouri Pridefest Emergency Plan, each street entrance will be barricaded to ensure safety during the event. Road closure signs will be placed near Park & St. James.

President of PrideFest Janet Davis re-assured that there are plenty of parking spaces available for guests.

“We are lucky enough also that Columbia College doesn’t mind that we use their lot,” Davis said. “So, if you get in here, there’s a great spot on 10th street right outside of Columbia College with lots of parking, and then the parking lots and garages are free on the weekend anyway.”

The festival also has an emergency procedure plan in place featuring over 20 staff members ready to assist if any issues were to arise, with eight specifically dedicated to security.

“We’ve never had an incident in the 24 years we’ve been hosting Mid-Missouri PrideFest but with the current climate, the city wanted to ensure we had the extra help,” Davis said.

Additionally, two MU Health Care trucks and the festival’s own first aid tent are on hand for emergencies.

“We have an emergency plan in place if we need it, and we’ve never had to use it. Knock something, knock on wood, I guess but they’re there if we need them,” David said. “And, we have our own first aid tent as well with carts and people and we actually have you know, a doctor in there as well. So if something were to happen, everything is really close.”

However, Davis said two incidents reported during last year’s festival. One involving a protester and the other, dealing with the response to the protest.

Davis said the festival will continue regardless of the weather because scheduling during the fall season, especially with MU football in season, is challenging.

“Once we pick a date everything else in September and October fills up so quickly that we would have to move it to the next year anyway,” Davis said. “So,we aren’t afraid of a little rain so it’s okay as long as it’s not lightning.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe appointed Paul Boyd on Friday to become Montgomery County’s next prosecuting attorney, according to a Friday press release from the governor’s office.

The release says Boyd is the violent crimes team lead for the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office and has previously served as a counterdrug coordinator and military judge for the Missouri National Guard.

He is a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars service organization, the National Guard Association of the United States, and the Missouri Bar Association, according to the release. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southwest Missouri State University and his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, the release says.

Benton County treasurer named

Kehoe also appointed Rebecca Minks, of Warsaw, Missouri, to become the Benton County treasurer, the release says.

She was a tax specialist at H&R Block in Warsaw before buying and managing the franchise location, the release says. She has a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Central Missouri State University, the release says.  

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