DELAND, Fla. | After a year of cancelled in-person Pride events throughout Central Florida, DeLand Pride is bringing them back as it celebrates with its “Love is Love Pride Fest” in DeLand Feb. 20.
“I’m excited that we’re able to offer the community an opportunity to gather,” says DeLand Pride Executive Director Ann-Marie Willacker. “The queer community often doesn’t have as many opportunities in small towns to get out and be with others, and that has been amplified during the pandemic.”
Willacker says Pride organizers recognize the pandemic is still going on and will have safety precautions put in place. DeLand Pride has posted its safety protocol on its website, stating “Masks are required at all times in the Artisan Alley Garage and inside the Cafe Davinci Courtyard unless you are seated. There will be hand sanitizing stations spaced throughout the venue and we encourage attendees to socially distance from those who are not part of your group. Volunteers will be onsite conducting head counts and may temporarily restrict access to the Alley Garage should the Garage exceed recommended capacity. If you are sick please stay home!”
They have also streamlined the Pride Market festival — which will be held at Artisan Alley Garage from 1-6 p.m. — cutting down the usual number of vendors from around 50 to 20. Vendors in attendance will include the Sunshine Bowling Center, Pride Kitty, New World Celts Volusia, Rainbow Farms, Zombie Love Squad, Niji Fans and more. Food and drink vendors will include Neighbors Boose and Bites, Hyderhead Brewery, BakeChop, Forno Bello, The Nest, Trilogy Coffee and more.
In order to keep crowds socially distanced, the “Love is Love Pride Fest” will feature three separate drag shows. The first show will be at 2 p.m. on the Artisan Alley stage, with the 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. shows on the Cafe Davinci stage.
Hosted by Aaliyah Nouveau, the shows will feature appearances and performances by Melanie D Martinez, Lilac Royalton Dusoleil, Opulence Black, Mr Ms Adrien, Twisted T, Kirk T. Davinci and Gabbi Haze.
The “Love is Love Pride Fest” will feature, for the first time, the “New Comers Show” on the Cafe Davinci stage at 5 p.m. The show will welcome six entertainers looking to perform drag for the first time. Anyone interested can sign up on the DeLand Pride Facebook page.
DeLand Pride will conclude its celebration with an after party at Cafe DaVinci starting at 8 p.m.
Willacker says that while many Pride organizations have turned to virtual events over the last 12 months, due to financial constraints that wasn’t an option for DeLand Pride.
“We are still a young and small organization,” Willacker says, “and we just don’t have the technology and infrastructure for going completely virtual yet.” However, Willacker does say that she is working on having portions of the day streamed online through Facebook Live.
DeLand Pride held its last Pride Fest in February 2020, making it one of the last LGBTQ events held in Central Florida before the COVID-19 pandemic shut all events down.
DeLand Pride’s “Love is Love Fest 2021” will be held at Artisan Alley and Cafe Davinci in DeLand Feb. 20. For more information, visit DeLandPride.org or Facebook.com/DeLandPride.
