Henderson Ky Pride Executive Director Cooper Beck said he’s not sure why the local organization’s celebration has seen such exponential growth since it started in 2024.
“It’s kind of a shock to us,” he said.
But then he added that one of the keys has been the inclusive nature of the festival that “genuinely welcomes everyone.”
“All walks of life have a place at our festival,” he told the Hendersonian in an interview early this week.
Henderson KY Pride’s third annual celebration, Pride ’26, is expected to be the organization’s largest. The event will be 2-10 p.m. Saturday in Central Park. It is free and open to everyone.
For this event, there will be at least 85 vendors coming from all over the state, which include food trucks, community partners, artists, sellers and more than 30 performers, Beck said.
Compare that with the first year when Pride was held in the parking lot of the Chloe Randolph Organization and welcomed 19 vendors, nine performers who performed on a gooseneck trailer and about 400 people came to be a part of it.
Last year, the event held in Central Park drew an estimated 1,600 people, and this year, Beck said there’s not an estimate, but judging from social media engagement, the festival should see even more people.
“We definitely are expecting larger attendance,” he said.
One reason for the expected higher attendance is a headliner with a national following, Beck said. Headlining the evening festivities is Jaida Essence Hall, winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 12 and one of the most recognized drag performers in the country.
The task to land Hall was not easy, taking many conversations and assurances to the management team that Hall would be comfortable, Beck said.
Beck said the festival is projected to cost $25,000, and it will be paid for by grants and business and community sponsors. Also, the stage sponsor will be New Hope Animal Rescue Charitable Gaming, Beck said.
Beck said in the interview that the local event’s growth comes at a time when sponsors for other such events are falling off and those events are losing support.
A recent release from Henderson KY Pride, however, says that the local event has experienced record community investment, with more sponsors, vendors, volunteers and community partners than ever before.
“The support we’ve received this year has been absolutely incredible,” said Beck in the release. “Every sponsor, volunteer, vendor, and attendee helps make this event possible. Together we have been able to achieve things that many of us never thought we’d see in our town. This kind of support sends a powerful message that Henderson is a community where people from all walks of life can come together and be celebrated for who they are.”
The release said that the festival will feature 15 free hydration stations, more than 3,000 complimentary bottled waters, shaded gathering spaces, a dedicated hospitality center, accessible amenities, and support from local public safety agencies throughout the event.
For event information, festival maps, entertainment schedules, and additional details, visit:
https://linktr.ee/hendersonkypride
