Dixon Pride Festival organizers creating nonprofit to serve Sauk Valley area

DIXON – Those who brought together the city’s first pride festival are in the process of creating a nonprofit pride organization to span across the Sauk Valley.

On June 18, drags shows, live music, vendors and other activities took over the 300 block of West First Street with the estimated attendance surpassing 2,400 people for the inaugural Dixon Pride Festival.

Festival director Andrew Glasscock approached the Dixon City Council Monday to thank city officials and speak about expanding the pride resource footprint in the region.

“It was an excellent experience; the city was very supportive,” he said. “As for the festival itself, I think we knocked it out of the park.”

[ Dixon’s Pride Festival organizers set attendance north of 2,400 ]

People from other communities showed interest in having a supportive pride organization as existing resources are slim, he said.

“Other communities have reached out to us, and they have a need in their community because they are not inclusive like Dixon now is, so we are going to nonprofit a charter for Sauk Valley Pride, and Dixon put us on the map,” Glasscock said.

[ Photos: Dixon Pride Fest packs them in ]

“We will be serving more than just Dixon and this community because if you research LGBTQ resources in this area, there are not very many; although, there are some and it is getting better. There’s a light, and 20 years ago, there was no light for anybody.”