Kaua‘i Pride Parade coming Saturday

LIHU‘E — Pride won’t be inside again this year.

Saturday, Kaua‘i Pride will take to Rice Street in a drive-thru-style event from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., starting at Vidinha Stadium. Instead of floats wheeling through Rice Street, attendees will drive along the closed-off street, partying in their cars, as over 40 groups and organizations celebrate LGBGTQ pride in town.

Matthew Houck, member of the Pride Parade Committee and lead prevention coordinator at the YWCA of Kaua‘i, said working with the county and guidelines for social distancing, this style of parade will work best.

“We would love to have done a classic, traditional parade, but we will still close Rice Street eastbound and set up stationary floats,” Houck said.

Guests can restart the family-friendly parade as many times as they want by heading back to Vidinha Stadium. Attendees are welcomed to decorate their cars, Houck said.

The occupants of the first 500 cars will receive swag bags with flair, flags and community resources. Shirts, too, can be bought at the start of the parade.

YWCA Executive Director Renae Hamilton-Cambeilh thanked the county’s support in helping to make the event happen later this week.

Tuesday, June 1, the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month, Mayor Derek Kawakami presented a proclamation recognizing the month-long celebration.

“When I’m an old man, one (career) highlight is going to be that I was a part of the Legislature when we had the Marriage Equality bill on our desk,” Kawakami said. “It’s one of those occasions that shaped me as a person for the better.”

In addition to Kawakami’s proclamation, Kaua‘i County Councilmember KipuKai Kuali‘i presented a certificate from the council, with fellow members Bernard Carvalho, Felicia Cowden, Billy Decosta and Luke Evslin in attendance.

“I will tell you that the certificate covers Pride Month, including the Stonewall riots in New York City in 1969, which began the modern gay-rights movement, as well as explains the colors of the rainbow Pride flag,” said Kuali‘i, who is also director of operations at the YWCA.

“It also covers the unique drive-thru Pride Parade we’re having this Saturday, and closes again with our council support and best wishes to all the organizers and supporters of Kaua‘i Pride 2021.”

Last year, the committee developed a three-week, 2020 Pride Inside Challenge, which shared resources to learn about topics like gender identities and expressions, sexual orientation, intersectionality and allyship, among other topics.

“The visibility and awareness that Kaua‘i Pride brings to our community makes all the difference, especially for our young people and for anyone who’s felt invisible, afraid and alone just because of who they are and who they love,” Kuali‘i said. “Keep doing what you do, because it truly matters! Keep celebrating diversity, inclusion, acceptance, dignity and unity.”

Philip Steinbacher started Island School’s Gay-Straight Alliance back in 2018, and is excited to bring in Pride with students and their families during the parade. As a teacher, Steinbacher said starting the GSA was important, “because everyone deserves an ally,” Steinbacher said. That is the group’s motto.

Houck said bringing back the parade in some fashion is important after a year of isolation and quarantines, where some people may not have been welcomed to express themselves fully.

“Everybody’s welcome,” Houck said.

Rice Street will close at 8 a.m. Saturday to accommodate float set-up, and the drive-thru event will start at 9 a.m. Attendees will need to remain in their cars the entire route. More information can be found at kauaiprideparade.com.

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Sabrina Bodon, public safety and government reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.