Yampa Valley Pride chair Sarah Brock said that having access to a pride festival with her friends in “our beautiful little town” makes her feel even more at home in the Yampa Valley.

Now in her fourth year with the nonprofit, Brock emphasized the importance of queer celebration and community in smaller, rural places as pride month races into full gear with the Yampa Valley Pride Festival on Saturday. 

“I think that when you live in a rural community and you’re queer, you don’t expect to have access to something like this,” said Brock. For her, the first priority is always focused on the Yampa Valley and local community engagement. 

Brock said that queer organizing is often associated with and focused on urban areas. “Rural communities are really on the front lines of a lot of fights for queer issues in different ways, so it’s really important that we engage with those communities and elevate them in the same way we do in urban areas.”

Since its inception five years ago, the festival itself has expanded — and along with it, the organization’s capacity. Brock joined the festival in its second year and recalled how that was the first time the festival featured vendors. In the past two years, they’ve also been able to expand on local performances, namely drag. 

Yampa Valley Pride also spearheaded Queer Futures, Yampa Valley’s LGBTQIA2S+ Resource Center. The center hosts hangout hours for all ages and 18 and under, walk-in hours, support groups and community education. The resource center also provides a list of vital services and resources for trauma, mental health, gender-affirming care and dealing with violence and discrimination. 

“We’ve seen a lot of great growth with that over the past few years. This year we added a security volunteer team, and we’re looking to expand on that as well,” said Brock. She added that they’re constantly looking for ways to reach new parts of the community and groups, as well as increasing their volunteer programs. 

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This June, there are plenty of ways to get involved with Yampa Valley Pride. On Friday, June 12, there is an Ohana Live Print session. Ohana will be printing a Pride themed T-shirt designed by a community member. Ohana will donate a part of the proceeds back to Yampa Valley Pride.

The main event, the Yampa Valley Pride Festival, will be held on the courthouse lawn from noon-4 p.m. Saturday, June 13. The event will feature a wide array of vendors, activities and performances. 

Following the festival, the organization is throwing a disco dive bar-themed after-party at The Commons Food Hall. From 5-9 p.m., the event is open to all ages; from 9:30-11 p.m., the event will be open to ages 18 and over. From 11 p.m.-2 a.m., the event will switch to ages 21 and over. The after-party will include DJs and a drag show. Tickets can be purchased at YampaValleyPride.org. 

Yampa Valley Pride also plans to host a Rocky Horror Picture Show community theater event, with more information coming in July. The group also will host a “friendsgiving” meal in honor of Thanksgiving and a “queer coffee hour” throughout the year. 

For Brock, seeing her friends and fellow board members step into their leadership roles and give back to their own LGBTQ+ community during the pride festival is extremely meaningful. 

“A lot of the folks on our board have had difficult experiences being queer, and to see them be resilient, but also transform what they never had into something that they give to other people is really beautiful,” said Brock. 

For more information on Yampa Valley Pride events, visit YampaValleyPride.org. 

For Queer Futures resources, visit QueerFuturesCO.org.