Mansfield's Pride event taking place Saturday

Mansfield's annual Pride event has grown from its early days.

Attitudes have grown as well.

"Being a small community, it was about education for the people that have no voice," Jasmyn LaBasha said.

LaBasha, a transgender woman, said some people didn't know what to make of her in the early days of Pride.

"People thought that trans people were mutants," she said. "I was always called a transvestite."

The Mansfield Gay Pride Association will hold its eighth annual Pride event noon-7 p.m. Saturday at Central Park. A parade will step off at 11 a.m. at the five-way light. Kathy Ezawa, executive director of the Domestic Violence Shelter, will serve as the grand marshal.

During Mansfield's first two Pride events, the parade route went along Maple Street, and the festival took place in South Park.

Tim Denis, president of the Mansfield Gay Pride Association, recalled there being only about 10 entries in the first parade.

Now the parade attracts about 35 entries and 300 people.

"The Humane Society (of Richland County) will have dogs," Denis said. "Everybody loves to see the dogs."

Large parade to be highlight of Pride event

Denis said the parade will be so big that the first entries will arrive at Central Park before the later entries have even stepped off.

"Now we've got a respectable parade that Mansfield can be proud of," Denis said.

Last year, an estimated 3,000 people attended Mansfield's Pride event, which is normally held on the first Saturday in August to avoid competing with Pride events in larger cities, which typically take place in June.

"This is, as it has always been, a family friendly event," Denis said. "All ages are welcome."

A kids' zone will be available once again as well.

There will be plenty of music and entertainment, including Brave & Crazy, Sarah Goff, Amber Musolino and Master TC & the Visitors.

A highlight will be the MGPA's version of "Match Game."

"That should be a lot of fun," Denis said.

Plenty of food vendors will be on hand, along with a beer garden at Dan Lew Exchange. Drag shows will be part of the entertainment, both during and after Pride.

Doors for after party open at 9 p.m.

Doors open at 9 p.m. at DLX for the after party, which will run until 2:30 a.m. The show will begin at 11:30 p.m. The cost is $10 for 18-and-older.

LaBasha, who is in charge of entertainment for After Pride, will be the hostess.

She recently began doing drag shows after coming out of retirement a second time. LaBasha says Pride is not strictly for the LGBTQ community.

"I just like the unity part," she said. "It's about everybody coming together."

She said she wants people to have fun, but also learn something by attending Pride.

"The key value is to know that we are all the same," LaBasha said. "We want to show that unity comes in different colors. That's why the Pride flag is so important."

DLX will also host a brunch at 11 a.m. Sunday, with doors opening at 10:30. The drag show will start at 11:45. People should buy tickets and RSVP on Facebook.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: 'Unity comes in different colors:' Mansfield' Pride event is Saturday