Thousands gather in downtown Spencer to celebrate the rural LGBTQ+ community
SPENCER, IN – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – On October 4th, the 19th annual Spencer Pride Festival once again filled downtown
Spencer with color, joy, and connection. The beloved event celebrated LGBTQ+ pride and community in rural Indiana under the theme This Is the Moment.
“Our festival is more than a day of celebration,” said Jonathan Balash, Spencer Pride President. “It’s a reflection of our values — that everyone deserves to belong, to be seen, and to be safe right here in rural Indiana.”
The festival is known for a safe, celebratory, and educational atmosphere, and this year was no exception. Thousands of visitors enjoyed a full day of entertainment, community resources, and family-friendly fun in downtown Spencer. Particularly popular items included the Wonderfest STEM activities and the live entertainment, most of which took place at the Historic Tivoli Theatre. This year featured a special presentation of “The Power of Math,” delivered by international drag queen and math communicator Kyne Santos.
The festival once again reflected Spencer Pride’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity. While overall attendance was slightly down from last year, the festival drew a broad and diverse crowd of attendees representing a wide range of ages, identities, and abilities. Volunteers noted a substantial number of families, individuals with disabilities, and members of the transgender and gender nonconforming community — a reflection of the Spencer Pride Festival’s enduring appeal and commitment to expanding accessibility.
The festival experienced record sponsorships this year, record retail sales, and record income from event activities such as raffles, a 50/50 drawing, and an After Party silent auction. Given the challenging external landscape for events celebrating diversity and inclusion, organizers were beaming with pride knowing that they were able to overcome and create a powerful and record-breaking event.
“The festival continues to grow in impact and in spirit thanks to our incredible volunteers, sponsors, and attendees who make this celebration possible,” Balash added.
The recently installed mural on the back of the commUnity center, created by nationally renowned muralist KODA, was a popular location during the event. The mural was inspired by Vicci Laine, a local transwoman, drag queen, and headliner of the Spencer Pride Festival drag show for 10 years. The mural is a vibrant, colorful new addition to Spencer’s downtown skyline and welcomed visitors for the festival.
This year’s accessibility improvements and family-focused experiences received particular praise from attendees. The biggest accessibility-
related improvement was in the installation of an elevator at the Spencer Pride commUnity center. The elevator, which had just received state approval days before the event, brought hundreds of people up to the second story of the commUnity center for health & wellness services, Wonderfest, Drag Queen Storytime, a birding educational event, and the official festival After Party.
Free shuttle service, sponsored by Boston Scientific, saw a major increase in usage this year. Two shuttles were available for attendees throughout the day, transporting them from the large parking area at Boston Scientific directly into the heart of the festival. Spencer Pride has been leveraging shuttles for several years in order to reduce the impact of event parking in downtown Spencer. This year, both of the shuttles were fully accessible for individuals with wheelchairs.
The festival marketplace – sponsored by C.H. Douglas & Gray Wealth Management – featured more than 125 vendors, including a wide variety of artisans, nonprofits, and local businesses, all showcasing the creativity and diversity of our region. Attendees flooded the marketplace at various times throughout the day, but there was always a healthy volume of shoppers and browsers throughout the booths. Vendors lined most of the streets on the courthouse square.
Spencer Pride expressed deep gratitude to its other 2025 Festival Sponsors, including top-level supporters Novo Nordisk, Cook Medical, WFHB, Simtra, and B97. Their generosity—alongside contributions from dozens of additional businesses and individuals—helped ensure the festival remained free, family-friendly, and accessible to all.
Spencer Pride’s efforts extend well beyond the festival. The organization operates the Spencer Pride commUnity Center, a year-round hub for education and advocacy. The commUnity center’s retail shop features products from Hoosier and/or LGBTQ+ owned businesses and is popular year-round. The center also is the home of the 12 recurring programs offered by Spencer Pride, including Rainbow Rollers, Grief Haven, Rainbow Family Connection, Rainbow Birders, and the Iris Youth Group among several others. These programs aim to create safe spaces and help foster belonging and connection for people of all ages.
“The most important way that we measure the success of our festival is in the impact we make upon our attendees. From the countless conversations throughout the day among attendees and Spencer Pride’s volunteers, there’s no doubt that our event was profoundly impactful,” Balash said.
“We created hundreds if not thousands of ‘moments that matter’ and we know that people will carry those memories with them and will think positively upon their participation in our 2025 festival.”
Next year, Spencer Pride will celebrate a major milestone: the 20th anniversary of the Spencer Pride Festival, scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026. Organizers promise the event will be “the biggest and most meaningful festival yet.”
For updates on upcoming events, visit www.SpencerPride.org/calendar or follow Spencer Pride on social media.
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About Spencer Pride, Inc.
Spencer Pride, Inc. is a 100% volunteer-powered nonprofit organization working to improve the quality of life for LGBTQ+ people and allies in South Central Indiana. Through its annual festival, commUnity center, and year-round educational and advocacy programs, Spencer Pride promotes a community where all people are valued, respected, and empowered to be their authentic selves.
