POCATELLO – A nonprofit organization invites people to remind the local LGBTQ community of their support by celebrating Pride month in Pocatello this weekend.
“Gate City Pride 2025” will occur on Saturday, June 14, at Lookout Point in Historic Downtown Pocatello. Stage performances will begin at 2:30 p.m., and booths will open at 3 p.m. Gate City Pride, a nonprofit started last year to organize the pride festival, is offering even more performers, food options and community resources this year.
“It is, perhaps, more important than ever for queer Idahoans to know that they are not alone. There are supportive businesses, supportive neighbors, and supportive communities who want you here and who are dedicating their time, resources, and efforts to help all in the LGBTQ community,” said Misty Friedel, treasurer of Gate City Pride, in a text message.
Gate City Pride formed last year when word spread that the previous festival organizers wouldn’t be able to organize a pride festival in Pocatello, due to a mix of some members having to step away from the group and others experiencing medical issues. The people who came to form the board of Gate City Pride did so because they felt it was important for LGBTQ people in Pocatello to continue to have access to their community.
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In a text message to EastIdahoNews.com, Pattie Smith, stage & sundry manager, said, “I felt that there was a need within our community for Pride to continue to happen …if I can help one person, a youth or an adult, see that being a part of this community in Pocatello can lead to healthy, happy relationships and a full life, I am glad to do so any day of the week.”
Angela Hollingsworth, president of Gate City Pride, said that this year’s celebration is “the same as last year, but just about everything is either a little or a lot improved.”
There will be nearly twice as many vendors at this year’s celebration, with twice as many food trucks. Attendees will be able to get food from We Got This—Dutch Oven! and choose between El Toritio, Vegan Mayhem, and Kauai Ohana Grill.
After grabbing something to eat, people will have the chance to see a variety of performers, including Samantha Summers, the co-reigning Miss Charley’s, Jay Hurley, a one-human band playing original songs, and Alison Tucker, a singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas.
People will also be able to talk to various community resources, like the Southeast Idaho Behavioral Crisis Center, Portneuf Valley Family Center, and the Pocatello Free Clinic. While these organizations aren’t explicitly focused on serving the LGBTQ community, Hollingsworth explained that it’s important for people to know they’ll be accepted at these places.
“Lots of resources are for everyone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a queer person will have reason to think they’ll be extra comfortable there,” Hollingsworth said. “To be able to see all of the mental health resources that are actively putting forth efforts to man a … booth for a pride event is exponentially helpful.”
Hollingsworth feels that Gate City Pride 2025 is a good place to start for someone who has wanted to attend a Pride celebration but hasn’t before.
“If you think you might enjoy going to Pride, you should just go and find out for yourself,” Hollingsworth said.
