KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After several months of planning, Knox Pride is set to host its annual festival starting Oct. 6. This year's theme is "Celebrate. Pride. Protest."
The theme comes after the Tennessee legislature introduced legislation that would have effectively banned public drag performances and also restricted healthcare for transgender youth. The anti-drag bill was blocked from going into effect and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is considering whether it is constitutional, following a lawsuit from a Memphis-area drag-centric theatre company.
However, the law effectively banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth went into effect and a federal court allowed it to become law. Another law that prevents transgender people from changing genders on legal documentation was also passed. This year, the state Attorney General's Office also received records of transgender patients who received gender-affirming care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
After the transgender community was targeted by lawmakers, Knox Pride wanted to celebrate the community. The logo for the festival is an homage to the Stonewall Uprising, showing bricks painted in the colors of the transgender flag — blue, white and pink.
On Oct. 6, it started with a march and parade on Gay Street. That event kicked off at 7 p.m. and participants were encouraged to use lights and glow-in-the-dark tools to stay safe. Knox Pride asked people not to use strobe lighting or high-power lasers, or laser pointers.
"I think that everyone can expect the normal last 20 years, but with a little bit more activism, a little more awareness," said John Camp, CEO of Knox Pride. "This year, there's equal amounts of celebrating and protesting to be proud of who you are, whether it's the queer community or somewhere else ... Pride started as a protest. So we're not going to see much difference. We're just gonna see more unity, more lifting voices of folks who are minorities of our minority, and making sure that they're at the forefront and getting the support that they deserve."
The Grand Marshall of the parade was Amanda Black, otherwise known as Miss Knox Pride 365. Warner Bros. Discovery sponsored the parade. This year, Knox Pride found 51 sponsors. Last year, it found 29 sponsors.
Following the march and parade, participants will be able to join a kickoff party at South Press Coffee starting at 9 p.m. That party will include a silent disco and lasts until 11 p.m.
"We thought it was important to have a little kickoff there with them. They're a large community partner in the area, doing mutual aid," said Camp.
The next day, the festival at World's Fair Park begins. The fun starts at 12 p.m. and will feature vendors and resources of many kinds. Seventy-five regional entertainers will be there for the event, and so will 70 local, nonprofit organizations offering affirming care services or other kinds of support for the LGBTQ+ community. Around 110 vendors will also be there on Saturday.
"We have a few vendors, who are not local, that have been with us for 20 years — but we really focused on putting local first. So you'll see that day being a day of celebration, a day where people can feel like they are seen and heard and can be who they are, freely. So that's really the main focus of Saturday is just celebrating queer culture, queer business and queer-affirming services," said Camp.
He also said the event is the largest free Pride event in the South, by the number of attendees.
The next day, Oct. 8, Knox Pride is moving the celebration to Sam Duff Park in South Knoxville. They will celebrate the second anniversary of the community center, while also showing off the center to attendees.
This year, Knox Pride also announced that Volkswagen had partnered with them to pay rent for the space through January 2025. Because of the partnership, Camp said Knox Pride would be able to focus on expanding the space and its services.
"There's a lot of a lot of growth happening, especially in South Knoxville, not only with the queer community, but with our homeless youth. We do a lot of work with homeless youth in the area, and we need the extra space," said Camp. "We have a lot going on and we just don't have any more room. Things are hidden behind curtains and falling down, and it's just time to, it's time to expand."
He said Knox Pride offers a thrift store where people can stop by and find affordable clothes, without the stigma of having to go to a clothing closet. Camp also said Knox Pride was working with the University of Tennessee to start offering free mental health services through the university's clinic. He said people will be able to get 12 weeks of services, along with testing or intake, for free.
"We're looking at targeting UT students, or anyone that just has mental health needs, that our state or government aren't meeting — we've come to a partnership, and we're able to find some grant money to cover those needs," said Camp.
Knox Pride also hosts six youth groups, for people between 8 years old and 24 years old. Camp said the majority of people in those groups identify as either nonbinary or transgender.
"So I think that supporting and showing them that adults do care about their rights has probably been the best work of the year. Because it's it's hitting us at home a lot more than most people," Camp said.
Through the Knox Pride Community Center, organizers have also expanded food pantry offerings with a satellite pantry at South Proess and a community refrigerator where people can get fresh produce.
"If you're hungry, you're hungry. You can just come get the food you need," said Camp.
Sunday will be a celebration of the work Knox Pride has done so far, and the work they hope to do in the future. It will last from 12 p.m. through 4 p.m. at the Knox Pride Community and Resource Center, and more broadly at Sam Duff Park. There will also be a makers market.
October is the month of National Coming Out Day, which falls on Oct. 11. Camp also said that by hosting the event in October, Knox Pride could connect with more people who may otherwise not be able to attend and show them they have a community of people who will support them as they live their authentic selves.
"Protest is not always a negative connotation. You know, living your most authentic life is a protest," said Camp.