Idyllwild’s ‘Pride Under the Pines’ celebrates 5th year
Athena Jreij
IDYLLWILD, Calif. (KESQ) – ‘Pride Under the Pines’ painted the small mountain town of Idyllwild rainbow on Saturday.
In it’s fifth year, the event celebrated people of all identities living out loud, with live performances, drag, activism and fellowship.
Organizers say this year’s event drew 700-800 attendees, bringing a big boom in business for Idyllwild’s shops. Many say it’s one of the largest events of the year.
Neils Kosman, event organizer, says attendees from across the world visited this year, with several from Alaska, Ireland and Dublin.
Pride Under the Pines first began in 2021 when Kosman and his partner traveled up to Idyllwild and noticed a large gay community, but no formal ‘Pride’ events.
Tune in tonight at 10 and 11 p.m. for a look at the celebrations and why organizers say it matters this year more than ever.