THE GROWTH AND POWER OF RURAL PRIDE
EVENTS IN SMALL-TOWN AMERICA

Queer life is thriving in the unlikeliest places—rural Pride is proof that visibility is everywhere.

Dr Beck Banks (Warren Wilson College, USA).

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

●      Small-town Prides are reshaping the LGBTQ+ landscape, showing that queer life flourishes beyond big cities and challenging deep-seated assumptions of “metronormativity.”

●      Rural Pride events are acts of resilience and solidarity, providing vital spaces of belonging even amidst threats, protests, and political hostility.

●      These Prides foster long-term community transformation, evolving into hubs for youth programs, food drives, and everyday queer visibility.

●      Pride is returning to its activist roots, particularly in today’s political climate, as corporate sponsorships shrink and grassroots organizing surges.

●      Events challenge stereotypes, inspire allyship, and resist marginalization, showing that powerful queer communities exist—and thrive—far from metropolitan centers.

Pride isn’t just a big city phenomenon — it’s thriving in small towns.

Across rural America, from Pikeville, Kentucky, to tiny towns tucked in Minnesota and Arizona, LGBTQ+ communities are organizing grassroots Prides that defy expectations — and sometimes danger.

INTRODUCTION

In places where a rainbow flag can still provoke hostility, these Prides are acts of courage, community, and joy. They're not corporate-sponsored extravaganzas; they're handmade festivals of resilience, built on cake stalls, sidewalk chalk, local drag, and the belief that everyone deserves a place to belong. In these spaces, queer life doesn’t just survive — it flourishes, changes towns, and creates legacies that reach far beyond a single day of celebration.

THE PROBLEM AND/OR OPPORTUNITY

For too long, rural queer life has been invisible. Mainstream narratives have framed LGBTQ+ identity as something that belongs in bustling metropolises, leaving small-town and rural communities overlooked, unsupported, and misunderstood. Yet, a quiet – and sometimes not-so-quiet - revolution is unfolding: hundreds of small-town Prides are planting flags — literally and metaphorically — in places where queer life was once hidden. These Prides create vital spaces of affirmation, belonging, and visibility. The need for these spaces has long been noted (Gray, 2010; Morgensen,2005; Sandilands, 2002).

But the Prides are also vulnerable: organizers face logistical hurdles, community resistance, and sometimes active hostility. The opportunity and the urgency is clear: supporting small-town Prides is about more than celebration; it’s about rewriting where and how LGBTQ+ lives are seen, valued, and protected.

“Rural Pride isn’t just an event — it’s a declaration that queer life belongs everywhere, not just somewhere else.”

WHY DOES THIS MATTER NOW?

At a time when anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is reaching record highs, the stakes for visibility, solidarity, and safe spaces have never been higher. In many rural areas, Pride festivals are not just celebrations; they are acts of resistance against marginalization and increased harm. They provide critical lifelines for queer youth, create hubs for community resilience, and challenge the narrative that safety, belonging, and opportunity only exist in cities.

As political and social tensions mount, supporting and amplifying small-town Prides becomes an urgent necessity — not only for the individuals directly involved but for the broader movement towards equality, justice, and human dignity. These events remind us that pride must not be confined to select geographies. It must be everywhere.

HOW DOES THIS ADD TO WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW?

Traditional narratives suggest that LGBTQ+ lives flourish only in urban centers — cities painted as the sole havens for acceptance, visibility, and community. The growth of small-town and rural Prides directly challenges this entrenched assumption, offering living proof that queer life is vibrant, organized, and thriving outside metropolitan bubbles.

By highlighting these overlooked spaces, we expand our understanding of queer resilience, decentralize the conversation, and recognize the grassroots activism shaping the future. These stories force a rethink: visibility and belonging are not urban luxuries but universal rights.

WHAT IDEAS DRIVE THIS ARTICLE?

This article draws on queer rurality theory and the concept of metronormativity (Halberstam, 2005) — the widespread assumption that LGBTQ+ identities naturally flourish only in big cities. Scholars like Kath Weston (1995), Jack Halberstam (2005), and Scott Herring (2010) have illuminated how the "gay imaginary" — the dream of finding a thriving queer community — has traditionally centered urban spaces, often erasing the rich, complex realities of rural queer life. Metronormativity reinforces the idea that small towns are places queer people must escape to achieve authenticity or adulthood.

Ethnographic fieldwork in Central Appalachia, participant observation at small-town Pride events, and media content analysis inform this article’s argument. By documenting the rise and resilience of regional Prides, it challenges urban-centric narratives and shows how rural LGBTQ+ communities are building belonging, visibility, and resistance precisely where they are.

Key Arguments

  • The growth of Pride events in rural areas directly challenges metronormativity — the idea that queer life must center on major cities (Weston, 1995; Halberstam, 2005; Herring, 2010). In places like Pikeville, Kentucky, and Johnson City, Tennessee, Pride isn’t a "scaled-down" version of urban parades; it's a reclamation of space and a declaration that LGBTQ+ lives flourish everywhere. The local organization of free cake stands, bluegrass music, and rainbow sidewalk chalk creates a deeply personal, community-first version of Pride.

    "Small-town Prides don’t mimic the city — they reimagine what belonging looks like on their own terms."

    Example: Pikeville Pride saw attendance grow from 400 to 500 in its second year, despite historical tensions with white nationalist groups. TriPride similarly expanded to become the largest annual event in Tennessee’s Tri-Cities area, cementing queer presence as part of the region’s fabric.

  • Organizing Pride in rural America is not without danger. Protesters have appeared at events like Prides. However, communities have refused to be intimidated. In Johnson City, Tennessee, the inaugural TriPride saw 200 law enforcement officers on site, and yet, despite threats, 10,000 people showed up to celebrate.

    Example: In Pikeville, protesters dwindled over time — from visible hostility to a muted presence — signaling that resilience and visibility can shift local dynamics. Today, Pikeville Pride ranks as the town’s second largest annual event, just behind the town’s iconic Hillbilly Days.

  • Unlike "one-and-done" celebrations, rural Prides often spawn enduring community hubs. TriPride organizers now coordinate youth LGBTQ+ meetups, food drives, clothing swaps, and advocacy work throughout the year. Knoxville’s Pride efforts even resulted in opening a permanent LGBTQ+ center to serve the region, as happens with some other Pride organizations.

    Example: In Pikeville, Pride organizers became trusted faces in the community, creating a snowball effect of visibility, support, and broader civic engagement. Formerly isolated LGBTQ+ residents now have local, year-round spaces to connect, be seen, and access resources.

  • Too often, rural queer people are portrayed as trapped, invisible, or the butt of a joke in media narratives. Small-town Prides break this harmful trope, showcasing thriving, joyful communities that demand recognition on their own terms. They show that queer life isn't a city-exclusive phenomenon — it’s woven into every landscape.

    Example: The television portrayal of rural queerness often centers on escape or tragedy. But Prides in places like Stockholm, Wisconsin, or Window Rock, Arizona, show that rural LGBTQ+ communities aren’t surviving — they're thriving, despite being historically written out of dominant narratives.

CONCLUSIONS

Small-town and rural Pride events are far more than just colorful celebrations — they are radical affirmations of visibility, community, and resilience in places often written off by mainstream narratives. In a political moment increasingly marked by anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and cultural hostility, these Prides serve as critical counterpoints: tangible spaces where queer lives are publicly validated and joyously celebrated.

They directly challenge the persistent myth of metronormativity (Halberstam, 2005) — the assumption that LGBTQ+ people must leave rural areas for cities to find acceptance. Instead, these events show that queer life is thriving everywhere, even in the face of adversity.

The stakes are high. Pride festivals in small towns not only foster belonging and mental wellbeing but often spark long-term community building: youth programs, resource centers, support networks, and new cultural norms that ripple outward.

Supporting rural Prides isn’t just a matter of charity — it’s an investment in creating a truly inclusive society, where no one is forced to leave their hometown to live authentically.

In the years to come, the need to support these initiatives will only continue to grow. Organizers, funders, policymakers, and allies must actively dismantle urban-centered assumptions, channel tangible resources to rural communities, and help secure these spaces against political and social threats.

The simple truth is: Pride should not be a luxury reserved for big cities. It is a right that belongs to everyone, everywhere — and it is a right worth fighting for.

PRACTICAL ACTIONS

1. Fund Local Pride Events Directly Small-town and rural Prides often operate on shoestring budgets. Without large corporate sponsors, even modest donations can have an outsized impact. Local governments, grantmakers, and private donors should create dedicated funding streams for regional Pride events, treating them as critical cultural infrastructure, not optional extras.

2. Actively Counter Metronormativity in Policy and Planning Urban bias must be consciously corrected. Policymakers and funders should ensure that rural LGBTQ+ communities are prioritized in outreach, support, and programming strategies — from mental health services to arts funding. Explicitly stating support for non-metropolitan LGBTQ+ lives sends a powerful, legitimizing signal.

3. Support Year-Round Community Building, Not Just One-Off Events Pride should not be a once-a-year flashpoint. Leaders can help ensure sustainable impact by investing in projects that extend Pride’s community spirit into everyday life: youth groups, healthcare clinics, community centers, skill-sharing programs, and advocacy training initiatives.

4. Partner with Local Organizations Already Embedded in Communities Authenticity matters. Rather than imposing top-down programs, funders and policymakers should collaborate with trusted local groups who understand the nuances, strengths, and sensitivities of their communities. Listening first — and then supporting what communities say they need — builds stronger outcomes.

5. Normalize Visibility Through Positive Representation Encourage local media, schools, businesses, and civic leaders to reflect LGBTQ+ rural lives authentically. Visibility challenges the old myth that queerness “belongs” only in cities. Showcasing thriving queer communities helps foster broader acceptance and builds pride not just at events, but in daily life.

6. Prioritize Safety and Risk Mitigation Without Diluting Celebration Given the real risks of harassment and violence, local organizers need strong support on safety planning — including access to law enforcement that understands and supports LGBTQ+ rights. However, security measures should never crush the spirit of the event. Emphasize solidarity and resilience over fear.

7. Provide Clear, Visible Political Support Allies in office, education, and business should not stay silent. Publicly affirming the right of rural LGBTQ+ communities to organize, celebrate, and belong — particularly during Pride season — offers protection and encouragement. Visible advocacy can make all the difference when local organizers face opposition.

8. Recognize the Economic and Social Benefits of Rural Prides Pride festivals can revitalize small towns, boosting tourism, showcasing local vendors, and building cultural capital. Leaders should frame Prides not just as identity celebrations, but also as smart investments in economic growth, social cohesion, and regional reputation.

9. Measure Long-Term Impacts Encourage evaluation of rural Pride events not just by attendance numbers, but by tracking long-term effects: growth of LGBTQ+ services, shifts in public attitudes, youth well-being, and community resilience. Capturing these impacts helps build the case for continued support.

10. Celebrate Rural Pride as a Form of Innovation Small-town Prides are sites of profound cultural innovation, reshaping what community looks like in the 21st century. Leaders and policymakers should proudly tell that story — one that shows that courage, creativity, and belonging don’t belong to cities alone.

IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES

While supporting small-town and rural Prides is critical, it is not without challenges.

First, rural communities are diverse — what works in one town may fail in another due to cultural, political, or economic differences. Leaders must avoid "one-size-fits-all" solutions.

Second, Pride organizers often face burnout, as small teams shoulder immense emotional and logistical burdens without consistent funding or professional support.

Third, real safety risks persist: threats of violence, protester intimidation, and political backlash can intensify quickly, requiring sensitive but robust risk management strategies.

Finally, broader systemic issues — from healthcare access to economic precarity — cannot be solved by Pride events alone.

While Pride can catalyze change, it must be supported by deeper structural commitments to LGBTQ+ equity in rural policy, funding, and community development efforts.

REFERENCES

Gray, M. (2009) Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America. Intersections. NYU Press.

Halberstam, J. (2005). In a queer time and place: Transgender bodies, subcultural lives. NYU Press.

Herring, S. (2010). Another country: Queer anti-urbanism. NYU Press.

Morgensen, S. (2009). Arrival at Home: Radical Faerie Configurations of Sexuality and Place. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 15(1), 67-96.

Sandilands, C. (2002). Lesbian Separatist Communities and the Experience Of Nature: Toward a Queer Ecology. Organization & Environment, 15(2), 131-63.

Weston, K. (1995). Get thee to a big city: Sexual imaginary and the great gay migration. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 2(3), 253-277.

AUTHOR(S)

Assistant Professor, Warren Wilson College (USA).

As a Communication and Media Studies scholar, Beck Banks specializes in transgender media and transgender/queer rurality. Originally from Dolly Parton country, Beck is curious about how rural-based trans media activists understand and work within their communities as well as how they are received by them. To boot, they examine trans television representation and its activist efforts - or the performance of those. Beck is a practitioner-scholar who teams with activist groups and companies to create the representation they would like to see in the world.

Beck is the Assistant Professor of Communications at Warren Wilson College. They obtained their PhD in Communication and Media Studies at the University of Oregon, their MA in Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University, and their BA in Journalism at Webster University. In addition to their education, they spent several years working in communications and higher education administration.

Disclaimer
The views and insights expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and reflect their research and professional expertise. They do not represent the views of the Centre for Events & Festivals CIC or its partners.