九色视频 鈥 The fourth annual Delmarva Pride Festival brought together both young and old last weekend. Notable among the festivalgoers were families with young children.
In recent years, the Pride Festival has faced defunding threats from several Easton Town Council members, who have argued that certain aspects of the event could be harmful to children. However, the festival organizers have made an effort to make the event family-friendly and appropriate for young children.
Kyle O鈥橠onnell, the treasurer and co-founder of the Delmarva Pride Center, said the Center strives to create a welcoming environment for everyone.
鈥淲e thought that by default, Pride on the Shore should be family-friendly,鈥 O鈥橠onnell said. 鈥淎nd to us, that meant asking the musical performers and bands to review their songs and we ask them to please not sing any songs or do any dance routines with curse words in them.鈥
Many parents take their children each year, saying the event provides an opportunity to instill inclusivity from an early age.
Erin Shimko, of Easton, attended the festival with her husband and two children. She said she brings her children to help normalize self-expression and authenticity.
鈥淲e live nearby, so we鈥檝e been going to this ever since we moved here,鈥 Schimko said. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 just part of their life, and they don鈥檛 question it.鈥
Some attendees, like April Schmidt, drove an hour from Annapolis to attend the Pride Festival in Easton, where her children鈥檚 grandparents live nearby in Preston. She was joined by her wife, their two children and the children鈥檚 grandparents. Schmidt has a 2-year-old son and a 5-month-old daughter.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really special for them to see other families that are similar to ours, but also just to celebrate Pride month in general, so they get a feel for accepting all,鈥 Schmidt said.
Many parents said they appreciated the positivity at the festival, with attendees smiling and enjoying themselves. Local Easton resident Angie Lavezzo walked around the festival with her two children and said she enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e getting hugs from strangers, and everybody鈥檚 so kind to each other,鈥 Lavezzo said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just such a powerful statement of love.鈥
Similar to many parents at the festival, Lavezzo brought her children to the event to show them people being 鈥渨ho they are to their core鈥 and to teach them to accept everyone.
Some parents expressed gratitude for having a Pride Festival and a space to promote inclusivity in such a small town.
Blakely Barlev attended the festival for the first time with her daughter. A former New York resident, Barlev now lives in Easton and said it is important for children growing up in small towns to go to events like these since they aren鈥檛 as frequently exposed to other communities.
鈥淚 lived in New York City for a while, so I鈥檓 used to seeing that all the time, but they don鈥檛,鈥 Barlev said. 鈥淪o, I love bringing them to places like this, and I think it inspires them to be quirky and weird and be themselves.鈥
Some parents offered suggestions on how the festival could become more engaging for children. Jaclyne Schettini, of Cambridge, said she remembered the festival having face painting in the past and would like to see it again. This year鈥檚 festival had a temporary tattoo station instead.
Schmidt said she had been to other festivals with designated kids鈥 areas and thinks that could be a good addition to the Delmarva Pride Festival going forward. But each parent interviewed said they would return for next year鈥檚 festival to continue showing their children the importance of inclusivity.
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