Small-town pride took on a new meaning June 24 as the Menard County city of Petersburg celebrated diversity and inclusion with its first-ever Pride in Petersburg event.
Live music, drag performers and merchant specials shined a light on the conservative, rural community that has seen a lot of change in recent years. New businesses have rejuvenated Petersburg's downtown, bringing with them additional residents, younger visitors and different attitudes.
"Petersburg wasn't always the most comfortable place to grow up as Queer and I wasn't 'out' when I was here," said Douglas Pope, one of the Pride in Petersburg organizers. "It is a beautiful place to live and it has come a long way. Since I moved back here I have felt nothing but welcomed and loved."
Pope lived in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco before moving back to Petersburg several years ago, when he purchased an old retail building downtown and transformed it into the restaurant and event space, Broadgauge. Pope had witnessed Pride events in larger cities, but the idea of holding such an event in Petersburg didn't occur to him until Broadgauge hosted a drag performance last year.
"We were a little nervous about how it was going to go off so we talked to our business neighbors and that opened our eyes to how open the community is to having diversity," Pope said. "The drag show sold out in eight hours."
Pope reached out to businesses earlier this year about a possible local Pride event and soon had a full list of sponsors. Although Pope feels the support for Pride in Petersburg has been overwhelmingly positive, he has encountered some negative reaction.
"There has been some pushback. Those opposed to it haven't talked to me directly yet, but I'm hearing about it," Pope said. "It's a loud minority but they get drowned out by the positivity."
Petersburg resident Charles Muller has been one of the more vocal opponents of the local Pride festival. He and his wife were on the Petersburg Square during the event to present a different viewpoint.
"I understand these people have their rights and I don't have any problem with that," Muller said. "My problem is with this festival coming to our county, it's a Republican county, every office in this county is held by a Republican."
Muller, a member of the local Catholic church, poured holy water in the form of a cross in front of the Broadgauge prior to the Pride in Petersburg festival.
"We happen to have a person of this persuasion who owns a business in this town and he's taken it upon himself to spread the news, so to speak," Muller said. "Being Catholic and Republican and veterans, we were raised that this is not what God wants us to do."
Wade Herren, an out-of-town visitor from the Peoria County community of Kingston Mines, happened upon Pride in Petersburg and wasn't happy with what he saw.
"I think it's a joke. I'm a veteran and we get one day, and they get a whole month," Herren said. "To me it's getting forced down our throats all the time, no matter where you look or where you go, it's there. God doesn't want men laying with men and women laying with women."
Two letters to the editor in the weekly Petersburg Observer newspaper, including one signed by the pastors of seven area churches, also expressed displeasure with the plan to hold the event.
Pride in Petersburg sponsors have felt the resistance, but most of them, including Hand of Fate Brewing Company, think that backing the June 24 event was the right thing to do.
"I don't think it's going to hurt us too much and I think it will help us in other ways," said Hand of Fate owner Mike Allison. "When that minority sees that the things they think might happen, don't happen, this will become a non-issue in the future."
Hand of Fate offered a special Glitter Beer for Pride in Petersburg, their regular Vanilla Dream Ale with edible orange glitter added to create swirls and sparkles.
"It's really important, especially being in a small, conservative town, to push this inclusiveness," Allison said. "Small towns are all about being friendly and happy and loving, and we want everybody to know that we are here to support them."
Liz Carter is the owner of First and Third Boutique and Wine Bar and was also a Pride in Petersburg cosponsor. Her business featured a special grapefruit rosemary gin fizz and special activities on June 24.
"I like to live in this bubble of sunshine and rainbows but I have heard a little bit of opposition to Pride in Petersburg," Carter said. "But overall it's been so rewarding and people have been very receptive to it. We want people to feel welcome, at home and safe, and this festival is another opportunity to do that."
Studio on the Square featured face painting, a family dance party, Pride-themed arts and crafts activities, and photo ops during Pride in Petersburg.
"It was super important to me to bring Pride to a small town where we don't often see big celebrations for members of our community who are marginalized," said Studio on the Square owner and event cosponsor Mary Kate Smith. "Since this is being held in a small town, people can now sort of tiptoe into what it means to support members of their community.
"My gay friends in the area are telling me that their home is seeing them for the first time," Smith said. "If that happened to even one person in Petersburg it would be worth it."
Petersburg native Adam Galassi did a lot of the planning and organization for the local Pride event. He characterized the opposition as something you'd have in any small town regardless of the activity.
There was no parade on June 24 like there might typically be in a larger city, but Galassi said a parade might be added to next year's event.
"Doing something like this in a small, rural town is pretty trailblazing and I'm excited about being a part of it," Galassi said. "This represents Petersburg opening its doors to anybody who may feel like they are in the shadow and saying it's OK to come here and celebrate."
June 24 was also a special day for Pride in Petersburg organizer Douglas Pope. He celebrated his one-week anniversary that day, as he and his longtime partner were married on the Petersburg Square on June 17.
"This is small-town rural America and people are loving and so accepting and it's an amazing place to be and live," Pope said.
