On a sunny weekend in downtown Kent, community members gathered for the second event of Kent Pride: the Queer & Here Market.
Rows of vintage clothes, handcrafted jewelry and artwork stretched along E. Erie St. as vendors showcased their products. Alongside the vendors was a steady crowd of supporters eager to shop, connect and celebrate Pride Month.
Teagan Spoonamore, owner of the I’m Not That Emo Shop, recalled the moment a young girl exchanged friendship bracelets in the colors of a pansexual flag, noting it as one of her favorite moments from the market.
This is Spoonamore’s first time being a part of the Queer & Here market this year.
The market was one of several events held throughout Kent Pride weekend, a celebration that takes months of planning and coordination.
“[It takes] A lot of emails,” said Nicole Joseph, one of the event organizers for Kent Pride. And lots of, reach-outs to the community.”
With the overwhelming support from the previous years, Logan Dusseau, another organizer for Kent Pride, said they quoted around 250 to 300 people for just the rally and march the previous day.
The support extended beyond these events, as a similar crowd filled downtown for the Queer & Here Market, creating one of the busiest days of the year for many vendors.
“It’s really nice to see people coming out and supporting small businesses,” said Christine Pyles, owner of Delicate Watkins Shop. “Because a lot of times, you know, for every ten people you see, you might make one sale, and I would say for every ten people I see, I make eight sales.”
The widespread turnout exceeded the expectations of organizers.
“It’s a way bigger turnout than we thought we would get, especially for today,” Joseph said. “And then yesterday, the rally, way more people than we thought would be coming out for it.”
With the street packed and locals shopping throughout downtown, attendees said the event highlighted a sense of community that makes Kent unique.
For organizations and vendors, the market was about more than just a day of shopping. It was also about showing a sense of community and support for the LGBTQ+ population in Kent.
Many vendors encouraged attendees to continue supporting queer-owned businesses long after Pride weekend ends.
“I just hope that everybody accepts everybody,” said Julia Anderson, a stylist at Golden Mae Salon. “I hope everybody knows that everybody is welcome in my salon anyways, so I just think it’s a good way to bring people together.”
Organizers also hope the momentum from this year’s event continues throughout the year. Joseph said Kent Pride is looking for volunteers, board members and community partners to help expand future events.
Through its website and social media pages, Kent Pride also connects community members with local nonprofits, resources and opportunities to get involved.
For Spoonamore, the weekend’s message was nothing but simple.
“I mean, just kind of the thought of togetherness,” Spoonamore said. “You know, all these people gathered when everything feels so scary in the world. It’s like a little glimpse of hope.”
Lillian Glaze is the news director. Contact her at [email protected].
