The Kauai County Council and Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami recognize June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ Pride Month. During the proclamation presentations on Wednesday, the Council added its support for the 7th Annual Kauai LGBTQ+ Pride Parade and Festival, organized by the YWCA of Kauai, which will take place on Saturday.
Starting from the entrance to Vidinha Stadium on Hoolako Street at 10 a.m., the parade, featuring more than 30 floats, will travel on Rice Street and end at the historic County Building, where the Festival portion of the celebration continues until 2 p.m.
To accommodate the parade, Rice Street along the parade route will be closed starting at 9:45 a.m.
Parade and Festival organizers Matthew Houck and Allison DeYenno introduced Maureen Nuccio-Hiraga and Madeleine Hiraga-Nuccio as this year’s parade Grand Marshalls during the proclamation presentations that LGBTQ+ supporters and county employees attended.
Following the parade and during the Festival, Abigail Naaykens of the YWCA said the three scholarship recipients of Pride scholarships will be announced. This year’s presentations are an increase over the two scholarships presented in 2024.
“This is a family-friendly event,” states the Council certificate. “All are welcome to join the celebration of diversity, equity, inclusion, acceptance, and unity on our island.”
During the 2024 Pride Festival, organizers hosted more than 40 vendors and resource tables, a dozen entertainers, and four food vendors.
Started in 2019, the Kauai PRIDE Parade promotes and celebrates peace, acceptance, and unity for everyone on our island, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, or background.
According to the Council, June was selected as LGBTQ+ Pride Month as a time for the LGBTQ+ community to rally around each other, building awareness, understanding, and support throughout the greater community through a nationwide series of events and parades.
Houck announced that for the first time, Gov. Josh Green helped raise the rainbow LGBTQ+ flag over the state capitol building a few days ago. The flag will fly above the state capitol throughout June.
The flag was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978 and updated to the Progress Pride flag by Daniel Quasar in 2018 with colors symbolizing — red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for harmony, violet for spirit, black and brown to represent people of color, and blue, white, and pink to represent the transgender community.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
