Pride organizers say the local festival is needed
As Angie Gatten stood on stage at the beginning of the Henderson Ky. Pride’s festival in Central Park Saturday, she thought she was going to introduce the winner of the organization’s first legacy award. And that was about all she knew.
But as she stood there, she learned that the legacy award would be called the Janna Gatten Legacy Award, named after her late wife, a Henderson Police Department officer who passed away two years ago after a battle with colon cancer.
And then on the stage with her was daughter, Sarah Hagedorn, who awarded the inaugural award to her mother for the work and advocacy that Angie Gatten does for the LGBTQIA community and the community at large. Gatten is a member of the Henderson Ky. Pride board of directors.
Gatten, who also works as a victim advocate in the Henderson Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, said she was floored that the award went to her.
“I was completely speechless,” she said.
She also said that her late wife would be highly emotional at Saturday’s Pride event, the second annual in Henderson. While working as a police officer, Janna Gatten was stoic and businesslike, but in community events, she would be right in the thick of things and mingling with people.
At Saturday’s event “she would be the biggest cheerleader and supporter of this,” Angie Gatten said.
Gatten said Henderson Ky. Pride will continue to grow in the coming years as the organization looks to reach out to surrounding communities that don’t have much support for the LGBTQIA community.
The local Pride organization’s growth was evident in Saturday’s festival. Central Park was filled with tents under which vendors were selling crafts, clothes and other merchandise; others were there to spread the word about the work their organizations do. Food trucks lined Main Street, and performers entertained the crowd gathered on the lawn outside of the Old Courthouse.
Cooper Beck, Henderson Ky. Pride’s executive director, said it’s already been discussed about a larger location for next year’s event. The first event last June was held in the parking lot next to the Chloe Randolph Organization’s office on Washington Street, and organizers estimated it drew about 300 people. It was too early to tell Saturday afternoon the attendance at this year’s event, but Beck in a previous interview said he was expecting 800.
In fact, he said he was not surprised about the number of vendors and expected attendance. “I knew Henderson was ready for this,” he said.
In attendance Saturday was Carrie Bak, a Henderson resident who moved her seven years ago for Nashville. She said she didn’t think Henderson would ever have a Pride event when she moved here, much less a gathering like Saturday’s.
“I didn’t imagine it would be this big at all,” she said.
Bak said the festival is evidence that there are many people who need the representation that the Henderson Ky. Pride festival and organization gives them.
“They feel safe here,” she said.
Cameron Brown, the fundraising chair for the local Pride board, said the planning on paper didn’t do justice to what occurred Saturday live and in-action.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “This just shows you how much this event is needed.”
