Out in Ohio: How Granville, Grove City and Gahanna are celebrating Pride 2025

Yahoo

18 hours ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Organizers behind Pride Month festivals in Granville, Grove City and Gahanna join NBC4's LGBTQ+ show 'Out in Ohio' to talk about how they're bringing the celebration to your neighborhood.
Digital Reporter David Rees hosts 'Out in Ohio' and chats with Granville Pride president Mark Carr, Pride in Grove City board chair Leslie Anderson, and Gahanna Pride founder Katie McBroom.
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Carr explains that Granville Pride grew from a 2021 resolution passed by the village council denouncing discrimination based on sexual orientation. But, that effort was met with resistance from certain residents and business owners who protested the village's first Pride festival that year.
'It was a positive thing that the village had done, but it really did then allow the other side of the coin to come out as well,' Carr said. 'We've had protestors every single year, but the majority of Granville believes in equality for all.'
Since then, Granville Pride has only grown. While that first year drew about 700 attendees, the festival has steadily increased, with more than 1,000 participants in 2022 and about 2,000 in 2023 and 2024. This year's festival on Denison's front lawn on June 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. is expected to be Granville's biggest yet, Carr said.
'I believe that Granville was waiting for the opportunity to show their support,' Carr said. 'Pride actually gives many, many in Granville and the surrounding counties a place to come and support people like me and my husband and my family.'
Beyond the festival, Granville Pride also facilitates an 'allies directory' that Carr said makes it easier for LGBTQ+ Ohioans to decide where to shop, eat and visit when they're in the village. If they see an 'ally' sticker on the door or on a business website, visitors can trust they are entering a LGBTQ-safe environment.
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'[It] came out of, again, that very first negative reaction [in 2021] that we got from a business owner in the village, and so we said, we're no longer going to spend our dollar at establishments that don't support us,' Carr said. 'So, we developed the Granville Pride business ally and it is a large, large list and growing every single day.'
Like many other Pride organizers in central Ohio, Granville Pride has experienced a change in sponsorships as corporations reevaluate donations related to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Still, Carr said the festival has received increased funding from first-time sponsors.
'We have new people who are stepping up because they see the increased need,' Carr said. 'As I converse with other Pride organizers, it's sorta the same thing, where some of the old sponsors are no longer there, the bigger corporate ones, but the local-owned businesses are stepping up to fill in that gap.'
Anderson explains that Pride in Grove City is also young and grew as other central Ohio suburbs established their own festivals after the COVID-19 pandemic. While Grove City's past three festivals were held in October or September to allow for more flexibility with vendors and other resources, the organization has moved the celebration to June this year.
'Switching to June this year felt like the right time to make that shift and align with national Pride Month and be more a part of the boarder celebration,' Anderson said.
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Anderson said this year's festival on June 21 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Town Center Park will be 'a vibrant Pride fest with something for everyone,' including a live DJ, local performers, a special appearance from the gay men's chorus, food trucks and an expanded resource fair.
Anderson noted that a protest by a hate group at last year's Pride festival was difficult for Grove City's LGBTQ+ community, but an outpouring of support strengthened the organization's commitment to foster a safe and joyful space, she said.
'The overwhelming support from the community showed that hate doesn't have a place here in Grove City,' Anderson said. 'With the changes we're facing this year in national politics, uniting with our allies feels more important than ever this year.'
A member of the Gahanna community for years, McBroom said she wanted to create Gahanna Pride after she saw a need for 'visibility, celebration, and a safe space for residents and youth.' What started as a small effort has grown into a city-wide event, she said.
'We have a huge outpouring of support of local businesses, families, allies that really affirmed Gahanna really needs this and we're ready for this,' McBroom said. 'It's about building the community and showing that inclusion and love really is what we have here in Gahanna.'
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This year's festival on June 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Headley Park features live drag shows, a DJ, food trucks, various vendors, family-friendly games, a bounce house, face painting and more. Like other central Ohio Pride festivals, Gahanna has also felt hesitation from some sponsors this year. McBroom said it's pushed the organization to be 'more intentional and bold about how we show up.'
'We really just wanna show up about love, support, joy for everybody,' McBroom said. 'Pride's about visibility and resilience, and that's especially important for us this year, and that's how we're gonna show up.'
While McBroom didn't set out to be a driving force for Gahanna Pride, she said organizing the festival has been one of the most fulfilling things she's ever done.
'To know that I have helped to create a safe space, it's kind of emotional to think about it,' McBroom said. 'It's been really incredible and I'm super excited to see what's to come.'
NBC4's 'Out in Ohio' amplifies the voices, stories and work of Ohio's LGBTQ+ community. Watch this and future 'Out in Ohio' episodes on NBC4i.com and the 'NBC4 Columbus' streaming app on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.
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