Naples Pride Fest in jeopardy? Public speaks out at City Council meeting

The Naples City Council may block Pride Fest, a recurring LGBTQ event in Cambier Park, after protests from groups against drag queens and the LGBTQ community. There won't be a decision for another two weeks.

At the Feb. 15 City Council meeting, over 40 people spoke about Pride Fest and the effects it has on the community.

Most of the uproar against the festival was from people who don't feel that Cambier Park is the right place for it.

Will changing the location 'protect children'?

Some suggested that the City Council move Pride Fest to a different location because they're concerned about their children seeing drag performers from the playground at Cambier Park.

"As a parent, I should be able to take my children to the park and not have to fear what they see," Naples resident Ashleigh Barrett said. "I believe in free speech, but I believe there's better venues than our children's parks."

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Several speakers said that last year's Pride Fest involved performers in revealing outfits, which is something they don't want their kids to see. Naples Pride board member Callhan Soldavini maintains that all performers were appropriately dressed.

"We respect everyone's right to choose whether they want to attend the event or not," Soldavini said. "So if someone feels uncomfortable bringing a child of whatever age, they have the right not to attend the event that day."

But some residents mentioned they didn't want to risk showing up on the day of the festival unintentionally.

"I feel like I should be able to show up to a park without having to check the schedule," Barrett said.

Naples Pride Fest organizers say closing off the festival in a building defeats the purpose of the festival, which is to create a sense of belonging and openness in the LGBTQ community.

"We certainly don't want to separate the event and put everybody in four walls, in a closed off space," Soldavini said. "We want it to be open and celebrated in public and we want parents and families to be able to bring their children because we want it to be a space that children can feel exposed to the existence of gay people and the LGBTQ community and it be a safe environment to do that in."

Is Pride Fest family-friendly?

Pride Fest has been a recurring event in Naples since 2017 where the LGBTQ community can come together and celebrate their pride through performances, parades, and visiting LGBTQ-owned small businesses' booths.

"Our biggest thing is making it family-friendly," Soldavini said. "There is no sexualization. No more than a cheerleader or Dolly Parton."

Many speakers say they saw photos of a drag queen wearing only a pair of G-string underwear. Soldavini says she did not see that at last year's festival.

"There's no drag queens in G-strings," said Soldavini, who is a mother of one with another child on the way. "They are all appropriately dressed. We make sure that everything is something that we would all be comfortable exposing our children to."

Should children be involved in Pride Fest?

Naples Pride Festival was created by Naples Pride members in 2017 as an "all-inclusive annual festival [that] draws thousands of people together to celebrate the unity and diversity of the LGBT community and to promote equal rights for all," according to its website.

"Every child has the right to feel that they belong in our society," Naples resident Michael Sales said. "LGBTQ kids are legitimized by the Naples Pride Festival."

Naples resident Chantal Scherer says Pride Fest is not the place for children.

"They don't understand it. I didn't at that age," Scherer said. "Leave kids out of it. If you want to do something, go to a bar, make it 18+, no kids."

Scherer says even though Pride Fest is only one day, it'll have lasting effects.

"It only took one day to flatten out Hiroshima with an atomic bomb," Scherer said. "One day makes all the difference."

The Naples City Council postponed their vote until the next meeting on March 1.

"We are confident that they won't deny it because we've been presenting the same application with the drag performances since 2017," Soldavini said. "This has only become an issue this year because it's become such a politicized issue."

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Will Naples City Council block Pride Fest after protestors oppose it?