NAPLES, Fla — On Saturday, the annual Naples Pride Fest was back, bringing its color and energy to downtown Naples. But new rules reshaped this year’s celebration.
Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski was there to see how people felt about the new regulation that banned outdoor drag shows.
Watch to hear what festivalgoers, protesters, and drag performers told Austin about the new ban:
Crowds packed Cambier Park, pride flags waving. “Let’s go Pride!” an announcer said over a loudspeaker.
But this year’s fest looked a little different. On Friday, a federal appeals court ruled that drag shows must be held inside and had to be limited to adult audiences. The decision followed months of legal back-and-forth between Naples Pride and the city, after officials cited public safety concerns raised by law enforcement.
Still, many Schargorodski spoke with chose to stay positive.
“I like it being in air conditioning,” said one person said.
“Maybe people will enjoy it more than they would have out in this blazing heat,” said another.
But others said the new rule left people out. “I wish it was outside because I’m under 18 and would like to go see it,” another person said.
And outside the festival, some protesters said that’s exactly why they’re glad for the new limits. “It’s a way of indoctrinating our society into believing this is normal,” one protester said.
Still, inside the Norris Center, three drag shows went on as planned, each seating about 200 people. But performers said moving the show indoors felt restrictive.
“I feel like we’re being put in a box again, so that’s the only thing that really bothers me,” said one performer. “We should all be together because we’re here as a community,” said another.
And that message about unity was echoed by many across the park.
“The importance really is community,” one person said.
“Pride Festival opens people’s minds to accepting everybody,” another said.
