COVID can’t stop Longmont Pride Week

Longmont Pride Week will be a little different this year — think virtual events and socially distanced gatherings — but coronavirus won’t stop the annual event. 

Like myriad organizations, Out Boulder County was forced to close its offices in the second week of March in response to the pandemic and had to start thinking about new ways to carry on with its events. 

But from necessity comes invention. 

After postponing its annual Gayla to the fall and successfully moving its Garden Party to a virtual format on June 7, the nonprofit turned its focus to how to make Longmont Pride Week special even if it wouldn’t be the same as years past. 

The result is a week’s worth of virtual events that will culminate Saturday with a morning motorcade and an afternoon hour-long celebration featuring music, speakers and more. 

“Longmont is very community oriented” and when recalibrating for COVID, Out Boulder County strove to keep that feel, said Juan Moreno, Out Boulder County corporate sponsorship and special events manager.

“The event has gotten a lot of local support,” Moreno said. “Folks are really happy they get to be allies, and folks who are LGBTQ are glad to see support in their community.”

As of Friday, there were close to 200 individuals and more than 60 cars registered for the motorcade, which will proceed from Roosevelt Park down Main Street (starting at Ninth Avenue) at 5 mph. The motorcade will be filmed and broadcast on Facebook Live with commentary by “the fabulous drag queen Miss Jessica,” he said. 

The 9 a.m. motorcade will allow the LGBTQ population and its allies to feel the love and camaraderie of Pride Week while still maintaining physical distance, Moreno said. 

The main celebration program that will follow at noon Saturday also will be broadcast on Facebook Live and will feature Miss Jessica, as well as performances by indie rock band Card Catalog, the Colorado Bhangra Team, Marcie Smith and the Mexican Folkloric Dance Troupe. There also will be speakers, shoutouts to sponsors and a recap of the motorcade, Moreno said. 

All the fun isn’t saved for Saturday, though. Daily virtual events will offer stories, games and educational events. 

Things kickoff Monday with Rainbow Storytime presented in partnership with the Longmont Public Library.  

Tuesday events will include a morning employee resources group panel discussion. Seagate Technology, Salesforce, Medtronic and Workday employee resources groups sharing “how they have successfully garnered leadership support, inclusion, and employee engagement.” 

Also on Tuesday will be Out Boulder County’s first Jotería.

"This isn't your grandma’s Lotería. Jotería is a powerful board game that reflects Mexico’s LGBT community,” according to event information posted on Out Boulder County’s website. “Jotería provides education on LGBT terms and their history, from pre-colonial to modern time backed by 19 years of research.” 

Prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place finishers of the game, which will take place via Zoom. 

The details of a Wednesday Virtual QTPoC Dinner are still being worked out, but the goal is to have a local queer or transgender person of color demonstrate how to make a favorite recipe, Moreno said. 

Thursday there will be community training on how to support LGTBQ youths, and a 50+ LGTBQ mixer. 

Both events are important, Moreno said, particularly in the time of COVID. 

In the case of youths, with Out Boulder County groups meeting virtually, they might be trying to seek support of camaraderie from their homes. However, they might not be as comfortable talking openly with their families around as they would be in the nonprofit’s offices, Moreno said. 

For older adults, the annual mixer presented in partnership with the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging is often the one time a year they get to connect with their community, he said. 

Friday brings another first — Trivia Happy Hour. The theme of the Zoom event that will feature prizes will be queer culture films, Moreno said. People are encouraged to play as individuals or teams. 

Registration is required for all of the events, and can be completed by emailing Moreno at [email protected].  

Out Boulder County also is selling Longmont Pride Week merchandise including T-shirts and masks via its online store, and is offering free rainbow flags to those who want to display their pride and support. To schedule a flag pickup, email Moreno. 

As always, the alcohol- and tobacco-free celebration will be family friendly, Moreno said, and will focus on the “local feel” and finding ways to connect.