The Spencer Pride Festival marketplace is bigger than ever this year; it’s also more diverse. In total, the marketplace consists of 110 organizations & businesses that are spread out throughout the courthouse lawn & adjacent streets. A complete listing of all vendors participating in this year’s event is located below.
We spoke with several individuals who will be part of this year’s marketplace to understand why they are participating in the event.
Matthew Barron, an author, remembered when he first learned about Spencer Pride years ago: “I used to drive through Spencer on my way from my hometown Washington to Terre Haute or Indianapolis,” he said. “I was shocked when I heard they had a Pride Festival in little old Spencer! When I was in school, small-town Indiana was not known for its tolerance.” Why is Matthew participating again this year? “I’m always looking for opportunities to sell my writing & want to support the festival,” he notes. “The festival is not as over-stimulating as the Pride Festivals in the larger cities & I meet such a great, diverse bunch of people.”
In addition to some of his previous books, Matthew will have his brand new urban fantasy graphic novel, The Brute: Chasing Shadows.
Matthew represents one of about 45 of our vendors who will have items or services for sale at the event. In addition to the retail vendors, there are many not-for-profit organizations that are providing information about their services, many of which are free or reduced cost.
Planned Parenthood of Indiana & Kentucky will also have a booth. Leslie Montgomery, Regional Education & Outreach Manager of PPINK, explained what festival-goers can look forward to this year. “We will have our game wheel where people can test their knowledge about sexual & reproductive health,” Leslie explained. “They will have an opportunity to share their stories about the care they’ve received at PPINK.”
Leslie is looking forward to Spencer Pride this year. “Spencer Pride is among the best Pride events in the state. They take good care of their vendors…. The people who visit the table are always friendly, welcoming, & supportive.” Leslie was honored last year when the PPINK was recognized as the “Most Interactive” booth at the festival.
Becky Brown, who represents the Owen County Humane Society, is excited about participating in the marketplace again this year. She says that the humane society participates in the festival because “we love supporting our local community and giving our dogs and cats every available opportunity to be adopted into great homes.” This year the humane society will have information on spay & neutering. They will also have dogs available for adoption. Becky recalls one of her favorite memories from a prior festival was watching friend Pam Browning walk a goat around the courthouse while participating in the Pet Pride Parade.
There will also be booths that represent for-profit enterprises, but that are not actively selling anything at the festival. These organizations are often there to support the LGBTQ community & drive awareness of their brand.
Oscar Saucedo is an employee of Boston Scientific & a member of their employee resource group PACE. Oscar said that they participate each year in order to support Diversity & Inclusion. Last year was Oscar’s first year at Spencer Pride (although Boston Scientific PACE has been a supporter for several years). Oscar found the event “eye opening on how great & family-oriented a small-town pride festival could be.”
At the Boston Scientific PACE booth, there will be information on the organizations D&I program. There will be medical device information & games. They will also have an on-site talent acquisition table for community engagement & employment opportunities.
Boston Scientific PACE is also a sponsor of this year’s event.
In addition to the booths in the marketplace, there is a significant increase in the number of businesses downtown that have chosen to advertise as supporters of the 2018 Spencer Pride Festival. Stay tuned for more information about these businesses on our website.
The Spencer Pride Festival Marketplace will be open from 10 AM until 5 PM on Saturday, June 2. For more information about the Spencer Pride Festival, please browse other pages on our website.
2018 Festival Vendors (as of May 26th)
| ACLU of Indiana |
| Adam Riviere |
| All Wrapped Up / Bonefide Creations |
| Americans United for Separation of Church & State |
| Area 10 Agency on Aging |
| Author Matthew Barron |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana |
| BloomingOUT |
| Bloomington Meadows Hospital |
| Bloomington PRIDE |
| Boston Scientific PACE |
| BrightStarGlass |
| CARDINAL SPIRITS & PRIDE LOUNGE (21 & over) |
| Cardinal Stage Company |
| Civilian Brewing Corp. |
| Cook Group |
| Cruise Planners – Naptown Travel |
| Denise Dyche State Farm |
| DJ’s Crafts & Sweets |
| Drunken Bard Creations |
| E. Thomasina Marili |
| Earth Drops |
| Eden Connections / DoTERRA |
| First United Church of Bloomington |
| French Lick Resort |
| Friends of the Forest |
| GenderNexus |
| Geno’s Kettle Corn |
| Grimnir’s Crossroad Kindred |
| Indiana Adoption Program |
| Indiana Crossroads Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence |
| Indiana Department of Gender Studies / Kinsey Institute |
| Indiana Forest Alliance |
| Indiana Health Centers – Owen County |
| Indiana Stonewall Democrats |
| Indiana Youth Group |
| Indy Pride, Inc. |
| Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce/JB Screening, Inc. |
| IU Health & Wellness |
| IU Health Bloomington – Positive Link |
| IVY TECH BLOOMINGTON STAGE |
| Ivy Tech Community College – Bloomington |
| IXE |
| Judah Concessions / BellyBuster |
| Laci’s Bags |
| Larry Harris Quilts |
| LifeJourney Church |
| Meadows Bakery |
| Microblading by Michele |
| Middle Way House |
| Monroe Co. National Organization for Women (NOW) |
| Moon Goddess Arts |
| Nate’s Candy Jar |
| National Youth Advocate Program |
| Newton’s Legacy Woodworking & Engraving LLC |
| No Rain No Rainbows |
| Osmon Chiropractic Center |
| Owen County Civic Theatre |
| Owen County Democratic Party |
| Owen County Extension Homemakers |
| Owen County Humane Society |
| Owen County Progressives |
| Owen County Public Library Bookmobile |
| Paws-Abilities, Inc. |
| PFLAG Hanover/Madison |
| Pink Zebra |
| Planned Parenthood of Indiana & Kentucky |
| Press Puzzles |
| Pride Lafayette, Inc. |
| Prism Youth Community |
| Proudly Vegetarian |
| Putnam Pride Initiative |
| Quarryland Men’s Chorus |
| Right on Q Concessions |
| Rye’s Concessions |
| Silky’s Specialty Items |
| Spencer Evening World |
| Spencer Main Street |
| Stable Studios |
| Starbucks |
| Sue Westhues |
| SuPaca Farms, LLC |
| The Back Door |
| The Well Armed Woman |
| This, That, & Mor |
| Tivoli Theatre |
| Touch of Nature |
| Tree Top Terrace Farms |
| TREES, Inc. |
| Triple M Concessions |
| Unitarian Universalist Church |
| Uplands PEAK Sanctuary |
| Walmart |
| WELCOME BOOTH |
| White River Valley PFLAG – Spencer Chapter |
| Window to My Soul |
| Wired Whymsy |
| Youth Services Bureau of Monroe County |
| ZenWithin |