Downtown Sylva’s sidewalks transformed into a landscape of colors for the chalk walk, storefronts were decorated in pride flags and live music echoed from the Pride Festival from Sept. 5 to Sept. 7.
The festival, active since 2021, became one of Sylva’s most visible events for the community and a place of acceptance in the face of adversity.
Attendees enjoyed a variety of food and drink trucks and browsed booths from local non-profits and community organizations in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.
President of Sylva Pride, Burgin Mackey, said the festival has helped carve out a place of inclusion in Jackson County.
“We started after the George Floyd protests. There were a lot of us that were sitting and wondering how we can make this a more accessible and a more welcoming place and really stake out our claim with this community,” Mackey said.
Mackey said this year’s festival carried a different energy.
“This year feels very different. I think that the general sentiment from a lot of people is that this pride feels a lot different. This pride feels more like we truly are setting apart; we truly are making our own space and asking people to come and support us,” Mackey added.
Vice President of Sylva Pride, Blair Smoker, added that this year’s festival felt deeply personal to them.
“We felt very passionately about providing more safe spaces for all of our queer community,” Smoker said.
Smoker added that their own journey motivated them to join the board for Sylva Pride.
“I did not have this opportunity as a child and just recently have become aware of this whole process and want to show up and be the person for all of these kids that I never had myself,” Smoker said.
This is second year the Pride festival has continued without the parade after Sylva’s Board of Commissioners denied the permit needed, stating there were financial and safety concerns.
With several board member seats up for election this fall, the parade’s return remains uncertain.
