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Event Details

Pride in the Park is not a replacement for Ozarks Pridefest, but an additional celebration to showcase the incredible journey of the LGBTQIA+ community. We’re excited to bring you a brand-new event to commemorate our community’s history and achievements!

This event is presented by The GLO Center, the driving force behind both Ozarks Pridefest and Pride in the Park. Our Pride committee works tirelessly to create inclusive and empowering experiences for all.

Check back often for more information on entertainment and activities.

View Performers

What

An LGBTQIA+ History Celebration:
Amazing speakers, bounce houses, poetry, music, and food trucks!

When

October 28th, 2023
11am – 3pm

Where

Phelps Grove Park
950 E Bennett St, Springfield, MO

Parking

Below is a guide to parking at Pride in the Park 2023. Want to be extra awesome? Carpool with friends, or roll in on skates, scooters, or bikes! Let’s keep the traffic low and the fun high!

  • Please DO NOT park on the grass
  • Main Parking: S Virginia Ave and E Bennett St. (Main parking lot for Phelps)
  • Street Parking: Available on the West side of the park on S Clay Ave.
  • Additional Parking: Thanks to National Ave Christian Church, you can park at E Lenwood Dr and National Ave.

Performers

We’re thrilled to introduce the incredible lineup of performers for this year’s Pride in the Park event. Unlike Ozarks Pridefest, where we opened the stage to performer applications, we’ve taken a different approach this time. Pride in the Park is our way of giving back to the incredible community that has shown us so much love and support. Our event committee has carefully selected a small, yet dynamic, group of performers to create an intimate and community-focused atmosphere. We believe these artists embody the spirit and diversity of our community, and we can’t wait for you to experience the joy and unity they will bring to Pride in the Park.

Samari Johnson

Singer/Performer
Samari Johnson (he/him) Samari is overjoyed to be performing at Pride in the Park this year! He’s a Junior BFA MT major at MSU. You may have seen him in productions around town such as Once On This Island, Rent, Songs For A New World, The Color Purple, and many more! He’s excited to give this a shot!

Jen Harris

Poet/Performer
Poet Jen Harris (she/her) is a writer based in Kansas City, Missouri. Featured on NPR, Netflix Queer Eye, Creative Mornings, TEDx, and many more, Harris is the author of 3 books of poetry and the recipient of numerous accolades. She is the founder and host of The Writing Workshop KC, whose mission is to nurture creative curiosity and inspire confidence. She hosts weekly classes and offers creative coaching to private clients. Jen is a nationally-certified Recovery Coach and Peer Support Specialist. Through a trauma-informed lens, she unites strangers who share an interest in creative expression and facilitates the development of empowering writing and performance communities. Jen has toured all over the country and is one half of the artist-to-artist indie podcast Confessing Animals.

The Shandies

Headliner
The Shandies are a married musical duo who have been serving up their brand of “fresh-squeezed harmony” here in Springfield since 2016. They just released their fourth studio album, “If You Knew Me,” in July and also have a wide catalog of eclectic folksy covers. Last year they played Mid-Missouri Pride in Columbia, KnoxPride in Knoxville, TN, and our own Ozarks Pridefest, and they can’t wait to see you again at Pride in the Park!

Speakers

Dr. Kyler Sherman-Wilkins

GLO Past President

Lynne
Meyerkord

APO

Dany
Lacio

PROMO

OLGA
Representative

OLGA

Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in volunteering! All volunteers will need to go through a quick Zoom orientation before the event. We will do our best to accommodate busy schedules! 

Volunteer Application