Three Rivers Pride pauses festival, identifies key organizational needs

The Three Rivers Pride board held a public meeting on Wednesday, April 1 to provide an update on the organization’s future after announcing it will not hold a Pride festival this year.

The board, which is made up of four members — President Riley Mains, Secretary Alexis Jacobs, Treasurer Ziggy Standish, and member Desireé Horrocks — said the organization is using this year to strengthen its structure and improve long-term sustainability.

“At this point, we really have to focus on strengthening the organization so that we can provide you all with the festival that the town deserves,” Standish said.

The Pride festival is the group’s largest event of the year and has cost about $20,000 to $35,000 to host in past years, the board told Watershed Voice.

While working to secure resources and funding for next year, the group said it will continue engaging with the local queer community in other ways, including hosting drag shows with the Kunty Kittens at the Riviera.

Board members also said they plan to attend regional events, such as Kalamazoo Pride, to build visibility and expand support.

In addition, they are exploring initiatives to support the local LGBTQIA+ community, including gender-neutral clothing drives focused on accessibility and inclusion.

The board said all of its meetings are open to the public and that members plan to improve how they notify the community about meeting times and locations.

The group also outlined a list of roles it is actively working to fill as it rebuilds toward hosting a festival next year:

• Volunteer Coordinator
  • Recruit, train, and schedule volunteers
  • Assign roles (entry points, info desks, support staff)
  • Provide briefings and manage shifts
  • Act as main contact for volunteer issues
  • Ensure volunteers are supported and motivated
• Vendor Coordinator
  • Onboard food and market vendors
  • Manage applications, contracts, and permits
  • Allocate booth spaces and setup requirements
  • Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations
  • Handle vendor communication before and during the event
• Stage, Entertainment & Production Coordinator
  • Book performers, artists, and speakers
  • Coordinate stage schedules and run-of-show
  • Manage sound, lighting, and technical production
  • Oversee stage crew and backstage operations
  • Ensure smooth transitions between performances
• Local / Government
  • Secure permits and approvals
  • Liaise with city officials and local authorities
  • Ensure compliance with regulations and policies
  • Coordinate road closures
  • Maintain relationships with community stakeholders
• Security
  • Develop event safety and emergency plans
  • Hire and manage security personnel
  • Coordinate with police, fire, and medical teams
  • Monitor crowd control and risk areas
  • Handle incidents and ensure public safety
• Project Manager
  • Oversee the entire event planning process
  • Create timelines, milestones, and task tracking
  • Coordinate all teams and ensure deadlines are met
  • Manage communication across projects
  • Problem-solve and handle last-minute changes
• Fundraising / Sponsorship
  • Identify and secure sponsors and funding
  • Develop sponsorship packages and proposals
  • Maintain sponsor relationships
  • Ensure sponsor visibility and deliverables are met
  • Track funding against budget goals
• Social Media / Street Team / Advertising
  • Develop marketing and promotion strategy
  • Manage social media content and campaigns
  • Coordinate street teams and grassroots promotion
  • Handle advertising (digital, print, local outreach)
  • Engage with the community and drive attendance

Board members repeatedly expressed gratitude for community support.

“Without the community that we are speaking to and that we are actually looking at, we wouldn’t be what we are, so once again, thank you very much,” Standish said.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.