A Columbus high school student’s senior project to host the first gay pride festival in the hometown of Vice President Mike Pence has turned heads nationally and internationally.
Publicity over the April 14 event, heavily linked to the politician’s conservative views, has left 18-year-old Erin Bailey of Columbus Signature Academy New Tech High School both excited and stunned.
Bailey, who described herself as bisexual, launched the idea in August as a way to show people that a small, conservative Indiana community is open to diverse groups such as the LGBTQ community.
“It’s just been crazy,” she said Wednesday, shortly after getting additional media requests for interviews about her Columbus Pride Festival.
Her original goal for the festival was far simpler — just wanting people to know that Columbus is an open, inclusive and accepting community.
The rain-or-shine event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the west end of Fourth Street next to The Commons, will feature food, music from local acts and bands, a drag queen contest, and about 30 vendors.
Bailey said she is uncertain how many people to expect. On the event Facebook page for Columbus Pride Festival late Wednesday, 184 people said they were going and 420 people said they were interested.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
