Written By Stephanie Cox

Staff Writer

On Saturday, Oct. 18 the Bakersfield LGBTQ group organized the Bakersfield Pride at Stramler Park with one of the largest turnouts since its start 11 years ago.
The event hosted vendors and organizations including H&R Block, Chevron, Planned Parenthood, Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays, West High Schools GSA and local vendors.
There was live entertainment from local singers and dance groups as well as 17 News Morning and Noon Weather Anchor Kevin Charette, who judged a dance competition awarding Scream in the Dark tickets to the top two dancers.
Whitney Weddell, chair of Bakersfield LGBTQ, said this years Pride was the biggest in 11 years.
“I’ve never seen a crowd of this size at five o’clock. We’ve made a lot of improvements,” said Weddell.
Bakersfield Pride started at the Bakersfield Museum of Art with only 500 people. Weddell said that over the past five years they have moved locations and gotten better at getting organized.
Improvements included over 50 vendors, two bounce houses and activities for children, more food options and live entertainment such as a former contestant from Ru Paul’s Drag race, Mariah Balenciaga.
“We don’t want to be L.A [Pride] or San Francisco [Pride]. It’s always been hometown Pride. We want people to bring their family. [To have] a day to be free and not worry about people staring,” Weddell said.