While the day was a bit windy, the cool October temperatures were a welcome site for many attendees, accustomed to visiting much hotter festivals in late Spring and early Summer.
“I loved the weather,” exclaimed longtime volunteer Judi Epp. Epp has attended all 14 of Spencer Pride’s festivals and was most pleased with this year, in no small part due to the weather. She also spoke about how the street served as a perfect location for the ever-expanding marketplace and other outdoor activities.
“I hope we stay in October and that we stay in the streets,” Epp said.
This was an opinion shared by most attendees who gave feedback on Saturday and in the days since the festival.
October is LGBTQ+ History Month, which would provide an extra tie-in if the event permanently moved to October.
Organizers do not want to act in haste, however, given the longstanding date in June. They will solicit feedback from their volunteers and the public over the next couple of months.
“We have historically been on the first Saturday in June,” Balash explained. “While everyone loves the sunshine, the same sentiment does not apply to the heat. In addition, as one of the first LGBTQ+ Pride festivals on the calendar each year, we don’t get to take advantage of the promotion we were able to this year with our later festival. To be able to promote our event throughout the summer, like we did this year, would be fantastic.”
Whether or not Spencer Pride decides to permanently move their annual festival to October is a decision that the organization will announce before the end of the year.