Davis County Pride Fest Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community May 3

Mark Fitzpatrick, owner of the Old State Saloon near Boise, Idaho, is organizing a two-day event called 'Hetero Awesome Fest' on June 20 and 21, coinciding with LGBTQ Pride Month and taking place across from the state capitol. Fitzpatrick describes the festival as a celebration of 'faith, family, and freedom,' and says it is intended as an alternative to Pride Month events, not as an act of hate or to target any group. The festival follows last year's 'Heterosexual Awesomeness Month' and is promoted by the group Heterosexual Awesomeness, a registered nonprofit. While Fitzpatrick emphasizes the event's positive intentions and desire to celebrate what he refers to as 'God’s design,' critics highlight that the bar’s social media has posted anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, drawing both support and concern from the public. Promotional materials frame the festival as a movement celebrating traditional values, and organizers are seeking community involvement through sponsors and volunteers.