Canyon County Idaho: Small Town Pride Goes Big

There’s something wonderful happening in small towns all across America, Pride festivals are on the rise offering rural communities a safe and welcoming celebration for the LGBTQ+ folks among them. In places where people assume everyone thinks the same, where visibility can come with real risk, and where showing up authentically sometimes feels like an act of courage in itself—these small town, community centered festivals are forging important spaces for belonging and offering a hometown alternative for the more corporate centered Pride festivals in larger cities. This week In the Den, Sara is joined by the organizers behind Canyon County Pride in Southwest Idaho—a Pride celebration that has become both a joyful gathering place and a lightning rod for controversy in the city of Nampa. In a region often painted with broad political brushstrokes, they’ve helped create something deeply local, deeply brave, and deeply needed: a Pride event where LGBTQ+ people, families, allies, and especially young people can see that they are not alone.

Special Guest: Tom (he/him)

Tom is co-founder and owner of HomeFound Boise, Idaho’s #1 LGBTQ+ owned and operated real estate team. Tom is the President and co-founder of Canyon County Pride, which started as a result of his passion to elevate and celebrate diversity throughout Idaho. Tom is featured in the Washington Post, Inman News, and Realtor Magazine as a 30 Under 30 Class of 2024. Most recently, Tom is the recipient of the Drew Griffin Beacon of Light award for outstanding community involvement.

Special Guest: Van (they/them)

Van is a passionate community leader, event organizer, and advocate dedicated to creating inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals in Canyon County. As a founder of CCP Van has played a vital role in bringing together thousands of people to celebrate diversity, foster connections, and uplift the local queer community. With a strong background in community building and a service oriented career, Van was able to cultivate relationships with local business partners and individuals as well as multiple marketing efforts that have helped Canyon County Pride grow into a thriving annual event. Their expertise ensures that each Pride celebration is impactful, engaging, and accessible to ALL. Beyond Pride, Van is committed to building long-term support networks for LGBTQ+ individuals and advocating for spaces where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered.

Links from the Show:

• Video of Cookie Puss befriending a Pride protester
• Canyon County Pride on FB
• Canyon County Pride on IG
• Join Mama Dragons today

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org. 

Transcript

SARA: Hi everyone, welcome to In the Den with Mama Dragons, a podcast and community to support, educate, and empower parents on the journey of raising happy and healthy LGBTQ+ humans. I’m your host, Sara LaWall. I’m a Mama Dragon myself and an advocate for our queer community, and I’m so glad to be part of this wild and wonderful parenting journey with all of you. Thanks for joining us. We’re so glad you’re here.

Hello, Mama Dragons. Pride season is almost here. And today we have such a beautiful Pride celebration story for you. Something wonderful has been happening in small towns across America. Pride festivals are on the rise, offering rural communities and smaller cities a safe and welcoming celebration for the LGBTQ+ folks among them. In places where people sometimes assume everyone thinks the same, or places that are considered largely conservative, visibility can come with a real risk, and showing up authentically sometimes feels like an act of courage in itself. So these small-town, community-centered festivals are forging important spaces for belonging and offering a hometown alternative to the more corporate-centered Pride festivals in larger cities.

Today in the Den, I’m so excited to be joined by the organizers behind Canyon County Pride in Southwest Idaho. This is a Pride celebration that is young — it started in 2024 — but has become such a joyful gathering place and also a bit of a lightning rod for controversy in the city of Nampa. In a region that’s often painted with broad political brushstrokes, these organizers have helped create something deeply local, deeply brave, and so very needed: a Pride event where LGBTQ+ people, families, allies, and especially young people can see that they are not alone. We’re going to talk about all of the challenges they faced: public criticism, political pressure, and the emotional weight of organizing such an event in a conservative community. And because many in our Mama Dragons community are preparing to attend Pride events with their children — some of you for the very first time — we’re also going to talk about what Pride really is and what you can expect beyond the headlines and stereotypes: Pride as community, Pride as joyful celebration, Pride as protest, and the healing and glitter and chosen family all at once.

For some families, that first Pride becomes a milestone moment. So we’re going to talk about all of that today. Whether you’re a seasoned Pride-goer, or a nervous first-timer, or a parent wondering what it will feel like to walk into that space with your child’s hand in yours, this is going to be a great conversation. Van and Tom, welcome to In the Den. I’m so excited to have you with us today.

VAN: Thank you. We’re excited.

TOM: Thanks for having us.

SARA: So you know, I want to start with the story of how Canyon County Pride came to be. It’s only about to have its third celebration this year, so your first was in 2024. Tom, you’re a realtor. Van, you’re a community organizer, just kind of regular members of the community. Why did you two decide you wanted to create a Pride celebration in Canyon County? What did you imagine as you were thinking about that? 

VAN: Take it away, Tommy.

TOM: This is so funny. We were actually just talking about this because we were sitting around a bonfire and I said, “Van, tell them the story about the yoga mats.” Which, the yoga mat story takes place at a youth nonprofit in Nampa called Clutch, that Van and I met at. Van was bringing their child for the much-needed resources that that organization offers youth in Nampa, a place that’s extremely conservative and often unwelcoming to LGBTQ+ anything. And that is where Van and I met. And we would attend weekly activities, I would fight the traffic to get down to Napa to partake in the activities and just be in community. And Van and I would be eagerly awaiting the activity. And this day was the yoga activity. And so as the kids are kind of running around, not really paying attention, Van and I are eager to participate in the activity which was yoga. And we’re sitting there on yoga mats. And after just hearing stories from the youth, in Nampa, at this non-profit, I looked over at Van and I was like, “How do we not have a Pride festival here?” I was just so moved by the stories of the youth, of their strength, their resilience, and their positivity in such a challenging environment that I was like, “Wait, how is there not a Pride festival here?” I looked at Van and said, “We should throw a Pride festival.” And Van said, “If you want to do this, let’s do this.” It was like a moment, an exchange where Van was like, “If you’re serious, I’ll be down.” That was it. That was Canyon County Pride.

VAN: However, I think in addition to that, our vision on the yoga mats was, “You text all the gays you know. I’ll text all the lesbians, go through everyone I’ve dated in my phone this past year and we’ll call it good.” Obviously, everyone, it’s kind of for families at Clutch, but we’ll have 30 people there. Tell everybody to bring a picnic. I’ll have my partner sing. My son, he plays guitar and can sing. And we’ll call it a day, is kind of the first vision we had. 

TOM: Yeah, it was like, “Let’s pull together some park benches, bring some sidewalk chalk, and we’ll have Pride.” Little did we know that celebrating the diversity of LGBTQ people in a place like Nampa would catch the attention of local politics in such a way that really put Canyon County Pride on the map.

SARA: So what actually happened was a little bit more than that. I love that your vision was just, “Let’s just have a family picnic with some music and some food and see what happens.” But what happened really was a much bigger festival as a result of a lot of public resistance and political pushback. Talk about what happened there and how it became what it became.

TOM: Yeah. It all happened so fast. This was planned in just  21 days. So from the yoga mats at Clutch on a Thursday,  21 days before the first festival, we, again, envisioned park benches and chalk. And we started organizing. And one thing that we’ve stayed aligned on from the beginning is that Pride should happen in a public space. And that is because that is the beauty of community space. We have our rights to do so, to gather and be in community. And so it’s important to us to do that in a public space. And so when we went ahead and filed for the application to reserve the park that day, obviously that information is public. Parks and Rec has always been a great ally to us. But of course, then the word gets out to local politics and all the sudden we’re in a media storm because Mayor Debbie Kling, at that time, basically did a TV interview and said, “Though this doesn’t align with the values of Nampa residents, we’ve consulted with staff attorneys and we’re going to allow these folks to have their First Amendment rights and gather in the park.” And that controversy really sparked and basically lit the match because we know that the Gay Rights Movement, the LGBTQ Rights Movement started and a riot in 1969 in Greenwich Village, New York after police raids the Stonewall Inn and folks were just tired of being prosecuted against and being pestered and bothered and policed. And so, though we never intended to have that energy, it ultimately that energy comes for when we have local politicians who are saying “You can’t be here. And that really gave us the fuel to, the fuel and the funds. We love a viral Go-Fund-Me. Sara, you know how that goes. 

SARA: Well there ,you go. So part of what happened was you got just a lot of really ugly commentary on media stories and social media. And then you raised a lot of money. But you have to pivot from this original, “Let’s just land at the park and have a picnic with some families and all the gays we know.” What did you have to do? What did you have to do quickly? 

VAN: I think the hardest thing was safety. We had death threats. We had people threatening the Park Service which there’s no controversy. It’s kind of like the library, which also has controversy now. But who threatens a park employee? Everybody loves parks. But all the sudden, they are getting calls from the moment the open until the moment they close about how we are pedophiles, how we are going to have genitalia popsicles, turning kids trans, yada-yada-yada, all these alt-right talking points were being thrown at the Park Service and taking away their time to give service to the community and the parks and instead they were answering phone calls that were completely unnecessary and being threatened as well. So I think safety was probably the most challenging and most emotionally tasking part of it for me. 

TOM: Yeah. I mean,it really was a roller coaster. Again, year one was planned in 21 days. And so we very quickly realized this is garnering a lot more attention than we had expected. A lot more than the park benches and sidewalk chalk. And we loved that because that means more people are becoming aware that Pride is happening, that there are LGBTQ+ people exist in every community. That being LGBTQ does not discriminate. And so you can go to your large city for Pride, or what about just a small local little Pride in a park. And so as that garnered more and more attention, the loud minority is all bark and no bite. But we’re prepared for the bite. And so we spent probably half of what we fundraised – which, that first year in 21 days was about $20,000 – and we spent $10,000 of that on private security and six-foot, temporary fencing to enclose the space. And these are all measures taken to avoid what happened in North Idaho in 2020 when a UHaul with 20 white nationalists from across the country jumped out of the van with AK47s. We are not going to take the risk of having something happen here and look back and think we could’ve been more prepared. And that was emotionally taxing. I remember Van and I would be like, every third day there would be a breakdown of like, are we going to be able to do this? Can we make it through this? It was really challenging to have to make these decisions around, should we fence everyone in. How do we cultivate the most effervescent queer energy and keep it safe? And six-foot, temporary fencing doesn’t feel that way. And it was a challenging discussion between us to be like, well, I think it’s something we need to do because that way we have a secure perimeter. We know who’s coming and going. And I’ve said this – we’ve both said this from the beginning -- everyone is welcome here. We truly mean that Pride is a place for everyone. And there’s simple rules to show up and be a part of it. And it’s those really loud, few folks, who are super fans of LGBTQ people and rather than being at a function that contributes to their community, their wellbeing, they’re protesting Pride. And so I refer to those folks as our Super Fans. But we take our Super Fans very seriously. And they’re obsessed with us and we’re going to protect the people that come and celebrate Pride with us. So that was probably the most taxing element.

SARA: Tom, I read that an uncle of yours even suggested you wear a bulletproof vest.

TOM: Yeah. It’s one of those things, and I think Van can relate this too. Because we put ourselves out there, we were sort of the image of this movement. And with that came real safety concerns. And I have an 84-year-old great-gay-uncle who advocated a lot during the AIDS pandemic and survived. And that level and sense of advocacy is a part of me and my family history. My family was so concerned. They were like, “Maybe you shouldn’t go and you should wear a bullet-proof vest.” And it was really, really scary. And I just felt like, you know what, I’m called to show up in this space and do this with Van and my fellow organizers and community. And whatever happens is what’s supposed to happen. 

SARAH: Van, what about you? Your family had been targeted previously. You have a trans kiddo. How were you all working through this security concerns in this first year with your family? 

VAN: I would say we were working through it very poorly. I, multiple days at a time, would step out of our meetings that we committed to. We met the FBI. We met with the Department of Justice. We met with multiple high-ranking, high-level contacts that we had because it wasn’t just Nampa Police that was worried that there was going to be a scene, if not more. It was a lot of higher-ups. So in these meetings, they obviously have to prepare for a worst-case-scenario. And hearing so many worst-case-scenarios played through, is heartbreaking for me. I’m a very soft person which is why I dress like this, why I pretend to be butch. And so about halfway through the meeting I would not be able to stop crying and just leave. So I wasn’t very helpful in the planning and I appreciate Tom for being able to take that over – and not saying it didn’t affect him but he was able to push through that. But we both got extra security cameras at our houses. We periodically would get checked in on by the FBI, random government agencies. I know that for my kids and my partner, we sat down and we just discussed, “Is this worth it because I don’t have to do this? If it’s a choice between my kid and me living and me throwing a – and at this time we didn’t know what it was going to be – 50 person picnic, I can back out?” And ultimately, every single person in the family was like, “Absolutely not. Yes, this is scary.” And I’ve been an advocate whether it’s for LGBTQ people, whether it’s for people of color in my community, whether it’s for – I was raised Mormon so I have to do a lot of advocacy work when I was in that space. So it’s really been a part of me and my kids’ lives since forever. So it wasn’t anything new as far as the advocacy goes. But it was something new as far as the more serious threats which we ended up weighing and deciding it’s okay. 

SARA: That must’ve been really hard. And I understand all of those calculations and conversations. That is just a really difficult place to be. But also that kind of fire of like “This is so important, if we can keep going, let’s keep going.” The pushback almost makes it even more needed and more important not to succumb to that. And I’m curious if anyone in law enforcement, FBI, more federal enforcement outside of the city of Nampa – which we know how they felt – or in your circles, told you to reconsider, suggested you might reconsider? 

TOM: Utah, there were a lot of folks who said, “Are you sure you want to do this?” And I think what Van brought up is a real, true element of the story where we had to question ourselves, is this the right thing to do? I think what’s transformative and inspiring and something that keeps us all going when we do this work, is that LGBTQ people, and any under-represented marginalized group, has unfortunately not had a choice but to do this work in some capacity. And you’re called to it in one way or shape or form. During that time there were a lot of people that said, “Tom, why are you involved? You’re the cisgendered white gay from Boise.” And what people didn’t understand, and don’t understand, is when you make an application for a public park reservation, that information is public and it has to be your personal information. My name, phone number, address is listed in the public records and people can call the city and do a public records request to pull that information. And that’s what people did. I got random phone calls from folks that said, “We know where you came from. You’re not from here” – which by the way, we’re all on stolen land and we all came from somewhere. But there was also a lot of folks who would call and I got really, really good at responding to the religious questions of saying, “Aren’t we all made in the image of God?” I didn’t grow up religious and I actually didn’t even know what Mormonism was until I moved here from the state of Minnesota. Lucky for me, didn’t grow up with heavy faith-based communities and pressures. But it was such an interesting experience of really questioning ourselves, “Is this the right thing to do because there’s so much pushback?” And then, as soon as we got there that day, and we saw people come enter the festival, and it was unlike anything. I mean, it certainly changed my life. And people just, you could see on their face, were entering a place of safety and connection in a way that you don’t necessarily get in larger city Prides. Those Prides have a different feel and the energy is not as much “We’re here to survive.” as “ We’re here to throw a great party.” This was like, “We are here. We’re surviving. We’re defying the odds.” And it was really moving. 

SARA: Yeah. Let’s keep going with that, what it was actually like on the day. Tell us about the day. And I mean, I know, we can see the pictures now of the news coverage which shows how extraordinarily well attended it was, how beautiful, how celebratory. It was just joyful. And I know you had some antagonizers. So talk us through. How did the day go?

VAN: Honestly, I think about it like I think religious people probably feel in a church or temple or something like that. It was sacred. I’ve never really felt that way in Idaho because you and all your listeners know what it’s like to attempt to exist in a space that doesn't want you there. And growing up, and until I was much, much older, I never felt wanted. And I think it was this way for everybody, even if they were an ally and didn’t identify as queer. Even the people that came that were there to monitor things because they’d heard some things and they don’t want this type of thing in their city. I think even those folks that came to look for the worst, were touched and unable to find it. I loved it from the moment I saw Tom. It’s funny because he mentioned that he would need to consider wearing a bullet-proof vest. But he showed up in his cowboy hat and I ran to him and jumped into his arms and he spinned me around. And a second later, did a backflip into the splits. It was a party from the moment we arrived even though we didn’t know if 50 people were going to show up, if 500 people were going to show up, or if the 3,000 that did show up were going to. I think we had no idea at that point. And it was just really special. 

TOM: It was a whirlwind. It was a short festival. It was only four hours. It felt so much longer. It was really only 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., I think. I mean, it wasn’t like an all day thing. Which, total side note, that’s why I think it’s so hilarious that the organizers heterosexual awesomeness fest had the audacity to throw a three-day at their first go. Because we’re modest, we’re humble, we’re realistic like, “Let’s just see how four hours goes.” And we got to a point, the fencing folks show up that morning. I mean it starts as this empty park with so much anticipation because it’s just an empty park. And then the porta-potties arrives. They put up the fencing, privacy screens go up. It starts to just come to life. And there was a certain point – we had the temporary fencing – we had a line. I remember there’s an image of me looking at this panel of fencing and there’s a line that goes through the park, over the hill. And I’m just like moved. 

SARA: Of people were waiting to get in?

TOM: Of people waiting to get in. And where we thought there’d be this massive pushback, there was 100 times more joy, love, and acceptance and joy that was waiting to get in. At a certain point the fire marshal came up and said, “We may have to just cut it off in terms of how many people.” It was shoulder-to-shoulder in this little footprint. We highlighted local food vendors, local performers. The whole thing was a whirlwind. But thousands of people showed up with 21 days’ notice. From then on, we knew that this was bigger than us and had to be something and would be and is something that will continue to make an impact in Canyon County, Idaho’s second largest jurisdiction in the state. 

SARAH: Was there a moment for each of you that first year that you remember that really solidified for you that Pride really matters to people there?

TOM: Oh my gosh, so many moments. For me, it started with just my friendship with Van. And it all started with Clutch too, right? If anything, we were throwing this event for Van and Van’s kid, and people like Van and Van’s kid in Canyon County. Because, why should these folks drive to Boise or Seattle or Portland or LA or DC or New York to go to a Pride Festival that really doesn’t represent the real spirit of Pride. And not because that spirit is not present. It’s just that it’s a Pride in a place where your rights aren’t legislated against on a national scale in a way that out-beats any other state. So it was just icing on the cake when there were thousands of additional people who felt seen and appreciated in that experience. What about you, Van?

VAN: I can’t even think of one. Honestly, all day long, all I heard, I knew that I would want to not have responsibilities that day. So I just delegated everything and made sure the things were in place before getting there because I wanted to attend my own party. So all day long, people would just come up to me and tell their story. And I think one of my personal favorites was a lesbian couple – I think they were probably in their 70s – and they came up to me and they said, “We left Nampa 45 years ago because it was not safe for us to live here.” They moved to the Mid-west, I think Chicago or something. And they just held my hand and said, “We did not think this would ever happen, let alone in our lifetime. And here you are doing it. And thank you.” And I’m sure that you, Sara, and – not saying that you don’t feel this too, Tom – but I know a lot of your listeners have to weigh if their kids' safety is worth staying in Idaho, especially as more and more and more anti-trans legislation keeps coming down the pipeline. And I think it just really gave me a new – I guess put a little more gas in the tank of looking at houses elsewhere because I knew, even if it was one day a year, that I had people that were showing up for me, that were showing up for my kid and that were showing up for each other. Because I think that’s really what it came down to is the overwhelming amount of queer joy that was felt that day wasn’t just about individual identity. It was about a collective energy that the community had that, again, was sacred. 

SARA: I would absolutely agree. There is difficult to describe – Tom you were getting at it – what it feels like to not just have the celebration, but be with community who is all there for the same reason, the same celebration of queerness and our families and fun in the face of legislative attacks that were just year after… I mean, by 2024, had gotten pretty bad and pretty brutal. And the timing, I really reflect on the timing of this, of Canyon County being – in 2024 – the first Pride celebration of the season in our greater area. It felt like such a release, a relief, to just be and celebrate and realize there are so many beautiful people here who are all experiencing the same kind of joy and want to be together, want to support community and to, kind of, get out of the oppressiveness of our legislature. It’s really spectacular. And you, both years, but you’ve gotten a lot of media attention. And thank God, Idaho got some beautiful positive media attention because that’s now usually how it goes. But so much extraordinary coverage. What was that like for you? I think you said there was a reporter from the Washington Post that actually came to the celebration and followed you around, and wrote one of the most beautiful pieces I think I’ve read about that first Pride. What was that like for you?

TOM: One thing that comes to mind for me is what’s unfortunate is you have these extremist, legislative folks who really truly don’t represent the majority. And they come and they take space in the headlines and it feels like they are taking up such a space. And then when you see community together, you’re like, “Oh that’s not actually how people feel.” And so I think that was rewarding for young people, maybe even not just young people but people across the board like the lesbian couple that moved away. Because it was like, “Oh, this is a group and a community and an event that is totally opposite of what you hear and see in the headlines.” And that was really, it felt like taking back the story. And it felt like taking back the true meaning of what Pride is and how many people really do align with the values of inclusivity and respect. So the media coverage really allowed us, I think, to take back that story. We didn’t expect it and it was also this opportunity to relay the values that we shared then and still share, which is that everyone’s welcome in community. We have more in common than we don’t. For some reason, we really focus on these hot-button, little issues to separate us when in reality we have so much more in common. What is unique about Canyon County Pride is you can roll up, there’s country music playing, And you can get a turkey leg, and you can see Dora the Explorer as a drag performer. And so as I’m articulating what will happen at Canyon County Pride, I’m thinking of how similar this event is to so many other family-friendly events that happen throughout the year. There’s turkey legs and there’s country music. It’s outdoors. There’s some face paint. And if you go to Disneyland and see those characters dressed up as different characters, that is drag. If you put on your overalls because you’re a farmer and go do farming things, that is drag. And so it’s just destigmatizing all these really ill-understood representations of what the queer community is and reminding folks we have so much more in common than we don’t. And reiterating that in all the media coverage is really what I tried to focus on to lessen the sense of controversy and animosity. Because Van and I weren’t going to go on any interview and be like, “You’re not welcome. And this is only for XY.” Like, if we’re going to welcome people to a space, it’s truly welcoming to all. And when you put that in front of folks who want the pushback and the hate – they want it in return – and we don’t give it to them. Then they’re forced to look at themselves and think, “Wait. They’re so nice. Maybe they aren’t, you know...” So it really just such a human experiment. 

SARAH: It was beautiful. And, Van, you mentioned to me earlier that one of the images in that Washington Post article they named as one of the most enduring images of 2024.

VAN: Yeah. Yeah. Going along with what Tom said, I think the thing that maybe changed the community’s perception most drastically – because I think they’re used to their neighbor being gay, maybe – but I think drag is probably overall what changed people’s opinions the most because I think a lot of people think drag is a strip club or something. I can’t quite figure out where people are conceptualizing these ideas that they tell us about. But I think the drag show was definitely, not only the most queer joy I have experienced in a long time, but just the most amount of love and camaraderie and the whole entire park, 4,000 people, squished in. We were shoulder-to-shoulder, sweating, holding up dollars for the drag performers. And it was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had. During that time, Tom and I were sitting right by each other. And he was like, “Turn around.” Because we were in the front row, obviously, because I’m not going to plan a whole entire festival and drag show and not be in the front row. Thank you very much. That’s why I do it. Tom said, “Turn around.” And luckily Kyle caught this photo. Or maybe it was my friend Jess. I’m not sure which one, it’s just me turning around and visibly seeing how many people are there supporting, loving. And just the feeling is honestly indescribable. Leading into that, Cookie Puss, my favorite drag queen, my favorite human 

SARA: Who has been on the show, so our audience knows Cookie Puss.

VAN: Shout out, JD. She is and has been my favorite drag queen for a really, really long time. And every year, she brings the most energy, the most excitement, the most fun. Again, I’m very biased because she’s my favorite drag queen. But she performed – I don’t even know how she performed so magnificently. It was like 10 out of 10 across the board, did not mess up, left no crumbs and brought the house down. And the picture of her, maybe we can link it in the show notes, the story and everything . . . 

SARA: Absolutely.

VAN: . . . was incredible and really, really captured the whole entire vibe of the festival which is pure joy. And then the next year, of course, we have the pizza situation. And I’m trying. I keep texting her to be like, “What are we doing this year, Cookie, because we have some very viral moments.” I feel like Cookie and Canyon County Pride are just a match made in heaven for each other. 

SARA: Is Cookie Puss is coming back this year?

VAN: She is. 

SARA: Oh, excellent. That’s wonderful. I’m so excited for that. I was thinking about the whole hometown vibe and I know you two really intentionally looked for local hometown drag artists who oftentimes don’t get a chance to perform even in their home town and are going elsewhere to do drag. And the joy for them, their joy, was so present and is so palpable in the photos and the experience that it’s both/and. The community is ready for this joy and celebration and so excited to be together. But to see the drag artists and their own joy in being able to perform to such a crowd in their home town is pretty magical. 

VAN: Absolutely. And I think a lot of people, even if they weren’t necessarily from Nampa – you know, Cookie’s from Arco – we had a queen from Wilder, multiple queens from Nampa. And I think the sentiment is the same of they have these dreams and assume that they can never show their home town who they really are. And it was exhilarating to see them completely shine and just have the excitement and joy of 10,000 suns for sure. 

SARAH: So year one, wild success beyond your imagination. Year two, doubled? Tell us a little bit, year two was also a wild success. How did it compare to year one? 

TOM: We had more than 21 days in year two, so there’s that. And we still had the same vision and spirit with just a bit more planning, a little bit more experience. And so we knew coming back we wanted to expand the duration of the festival. Like I said year one in 2024 was really short. It was kind of like a little trial run. And so we knew coming back in 2025, we’d have the opportunity to give a full day’s-worth of programming. And that, again, in some ways having more than 21 days was and is a little bit more stressful. And the other thing is, now we’ve kind of set the expectation in the community. So I don’t envy the large Pride organizations that have been around for decades that do continue to raise the bar or do continue to bring out all the stops. That’s one thing we have to have conversations about to stay true to the spirit of what we’re doing and prioritizing local performers and local resources and businesses. So 2025 was, I felt like the time for us to implement some real systems and it was a great turnout, yet again. And unfortunately for us, operating in a place like Canyon County and Nampa, It’s more than just what we’re going to do the day of. We are continuing to have ongoing conversations with local politicians, Parks and Rec, Nampa PD, Nampa Fire. The mission of Canyon County Pride is alive and well in the conversations that take place in these places to make this event possible well before the singular day. And that comes with its challenges. And so, yet again, year three, we’re met with some challenges and some pushback of where we can host, how many people we can have. 

SARAH: Yeah. Go into some detail about that because I think – perhaps it wasn’t a surprise to you too – but given your success of year one and building on that in year two, tell us what happened year three, this year, as you were preparing to make your plan. 

VAN: Legally, can we say? 

SARA: Tell us what you can tell us.

TOM: Well, we’ve always had amazing pro-bono attorney representation. I think we’ve also – in the day and age of ICE and policing and all the things, we’ve been really intentional about partnering with local agencies, like the ACLU for 2025. Well, in 2024 as well but really leaning on their expertise in 2025 to get updates on what was happening with ICE. We’re still doing that for 2026, of course. And now we have continued legislation. There was a law passed after 2024 because of an attendee at our festival. So all eyes are on us when we do this event. And it’s a lot of leg work and a lot of patience to make Pride even possible that day. So the city, Parks and Rec has been great to work with and an amazing ally – shout out to Parks and Rec – and then you bring in the local politicians who oversee Parks and Rec and these other departments and all have different ideas about who should be able to use the park and how and when. And so last year, we were in a different part of Lakeview Park to get a little more space, reflecting on that footprint was kind on a hill, it wasn’t the best. And so this year we’re changing the footprint, in part because we think we can find a better setup and also because we go ahead to confirm our application and Parks and Rec says, “Hey, unfortunately, you can’t use that part of Lakeview Park. You have to redesign.” And so we’re moving back where it all began in front of the rose garden which is a flatter surface. We’re reworking that site map. They also changed their regulation on the use of the public park to say that we have a limit of how many people can attend, even though they host an event called Art in the Park with 18,000 people over the weekend. They now have changed the number of people that can attend a park except for events put on by the city, which to all of our amazing legal staff or anyone that’s listening that has any legal background is like, “That’s not really how that works.” So we had to go through a process of making a records request, reading through records requests – which was not a fun thing to do – it was 200 emails of city officials complaining about parking, the fact that it’s on a Sunday. It really had nothing to do with the logistics of the event we plan because we plan it flawlessly. It had obviously more to do with the homophobia/transphobia of the local politicians who feel that by doing this it’s a reflection of their city – because it is, because their constituents show up. 

SARA: That’s right.

TOM: And so that continues to be an obstacle that we have to face. And hopefully one day, we can get to a point where we just rinse and repeat, here’s the footprint, here’s how it works, we know what to expect. But a logistical challenge of being faced with each year we plan is something that keeps us on our toes, I guess you could say. 

SARA: And one of the things we hadn’t really gotten into the specifics of, I would imagine is a logistical challenge, is you still get some antagonizers. You get churches – which still confounds me – who mobilize to come and do their proselytizing and antagonizing outside the entrance. So share with us a little bit about last year, you knew to expect that, and so how did the community, how did you show up to help navigate what you knew was going to happen of people trying to. . . 

TOM: Be a Super Fan?

SARA: Be a Super Fan and try to convince people that what they were doing was wrong or bad and they shouldn’t go into that park.

VAN: I mean, look at us, who wouldn’t be obsessed with us? We are really hot people. 

SARA: I mean, I saw a video of Tom doing high kicks like a cheerleader. I mean . . . 

VAN: Exactly.

TOM: The gay spirit takes over, I really can’t handle.  . .

VAN: Like and subscribe. I’m also obsessed with you, Tom.

TOM: I think it’s a conversation that we have every year. And we really take a human approach. These folks have a passion for whatever they believe their cause to be, just like we do. That’s something we have in common. And we talk about, time and time again, as a permit holder of the space, what are our rights to keeping the space safe and where do we designate that these folks can be to have their First Amendment right. Just like these hyper-conservative local politicians who are all about small government and less regulation want to do the complete opposite if it’s anything that they don’t believe in. And so they want to regulate how many people we can have, what we can say, what we can do, where we can be. 

SARA: What you can wear?

TOM: What we can wear. And so it’s really this experience of, “Hey, we know we’re going to have Super Fans who are going to come and antagonize. So let’s designate a space where they can be. We’ve offered water. We’ve offered shade.” Like we’re not going to be able to change it. That’s why there still is an LGBTQ Movement because you have Super Fans who persist and create this issue of, “You can’t be here.” We wouldn’t have to go through all this if you planned your own event which you have the right to do. And if you want help to do it, we would. Mark Fitzpatrick from Old State Saloon Heterosexual Awesomefest came to the festival – at no one’s surprise – walked in, I met him at the entrance and said, “Hey, if you follow these simple rules, you’re welcome to come on in.” And you know that he was hoping that we would make a scene that his videographer would capture where we kicking him out or not letting him in because that is the story that he shares is that he is the victim of woke politics. And the reality is, come on in, follow these rules. It’s very simple. And he did. And he tried to interview these young kids and ask them questions about what a male is and what a female is. And we kind of flagged him off a little bit. And he couldn’t get the soundbite or the drama he wanted and left. 

SARA: Good job.

TOM: And so it’s one of those elements of the process that we know we deal with. And I think now that we’re in our third year, I think there’s less fear because, cool, we’ve done this once. And Van and I were talking a bit about that. So it makes it a little bit different knowing we’ve done this before and we can do it again.

SARA: And Van, I was just thinking, last year you had this beautiful, some folks who were sort of an umbrella brigade who would walk folks in. Tell us a little bit about that, how that evolved?

VAN: Yeah. So honestly, it was mostly churches. And I know literally the three of us just rolled our eyes at the churches that cancelled church to be jerks at Pride. But we also, on the flipside of the church coin, had multiple churches cancel church to come balance things out. And I definitely had a lot of my religious trauma healed by the church people that showed up for us. They brought umbrellas. They walked people from the parking lot inside so that people wouldn’t have to – hopefully not things thrown at them – but definitely harsh words thrown at them. It was amazing. And there were obviously a few people that we designated volunteers to do that as well. But for the most part, it was church folks that assembled and were like, “It is our responsibility as a Christian person to serve with love. We are here. We know a lot of our Christian brothers and sisters are not only not doing this, but causing a lot of problems – exhibit A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K all through the alphabet, with our laws and these people standing here – so we’re going to do what we can. This is something super small that we can do to show you that what we believe in is love and this is how we’re going to do it.” And we were blown away.

SARA: That was really beautiful. So I want to pivot just a little bit because I know we’re running out of time. But I do want to talk about those parents, the Mama Dragons among us, some of whom – you know, we’re always getting folks that are new to our community because their kids have recently come out to them. So I’m thinking about those parents whose kids want to go to Pride or they want to take their kid to Pride to show them this whole community that they can identify with, be welcomed into, and a place of belonging that they don’t always feel. But they may be a little hesitant because of all of the myths that get thrown out about Pride and drag and all of that. What would you want those parents to know? 

VAN: I would say, number one, I want to tell a little bit of my own story: which is, I’m a queer person. I’ve been fighting as an advocate for queer people a lot longer than the call is coming from inside the house. I clearly am a lesbian. I don’t know how people didn’t tell me sooner. But here I am. Anyway, so when my kid came out, first, as a lesbian, then nonbinary, then a trans boy, I thought, “Wow. I am so happy that I know so much about queer culture because I’m a queer person. This is going to be so great.” And the reality is is that parenting is hard regardless of what phase you are at or what place you are at in this timeline. And I honestly, obviously – maybe it's not obvious – still have pieces of homophobia and transphobia that I am continually working on because the reality is is that we live constantly bombarded with these types of messages. So I guess I’m just sharing that because me being a queer person and me having a same-sex partner and me being up on the stage at Pride and feeling this joy and attempting to lead this movement, I still go home at night and worry about my kid. I still go home at night and talk to my kid about how difficult it is. And we talk about our gender journey together. And I ask him for tips and he asks me for tips. And sometimes we just say, “We don’t know what we’re doing.” So even though some of the conversations aren’t the exact same, I think a lot of them have a similar root and that is that we love our kids. And I think if you have that love for your child, you showing up even if you’re uncomfortable, even if you’ve never been to a Pride event, even if you’ve never known or talked to another gay, queer, trans person, or you’ve been around them your whole life, I think if you show up in love for your child, you will have a great experience and Pride. And I know that sometimes it’s awkward and sometimes it’s hard. And I’ve sat with people that have been in that awkwardness and held space for them. And I challenge you to sit in it because a lot of it is unwanted homophobia, unwanted transphobia that we need to sit with and feel and move past together.

SARA: What would you want parents to know, thinking specifically about the small-town Prides because I think for a lot of parents we see – a lot of folks see pictures of San Francisco and there’s lots of nudes and it’s bigger and wilder and pushing the envelope in ways that maybe small-town celebrations don’t for a whole host of different kinds of reasons. But what would you want parents to know to prepare them or help prepare their kid for Pride? 

VAN: I think just communicating about the fact that people have bodies and we all choose to do different things with them. We choose to express our happiness and sadness and joy and sorrow differently. And our Pride in particular, a shirt is required. Does that mean it might not happen for brief seconds at a time until we discuss it with the person? Obviously, we can’t guarantee that. I remember taking my kids to their first Pride. It was with Mormons Building Bridges and hugging people. And so I was, then married to a man, me, him, and my two children, volunteered to give people hugs. My children were just giving stickers, not giving hugs. And someone with definitive breasts had them barely covered with nipple pasties and walked over. And me and the kids just watched what my husband was going to do. And he just gave her a hug. I’m pretty sure pronouns are her. I’ll say they from now on because I don’t have it stored away. But they were thrilled to see us, talked about how to raised LDS just like we were. And we really created a connection. And also, created a connection with our family surrounding the conversation we had because I don’t know that my kids were expecting that. We go skinny dipping and have a lot of nudity. So as far as bodies are concerned, they’re very comfortable. But I think, suddenly and in public, is a little bit alarming. So we were able to have a conversation. And I think that’s the important part is to have a conversation with your kid and say, “These are some of the things. These are the rules. These are some things we might encounter. How do you feel about that? This might be how I feel about it. I’m a little uncomfortable. I wonder why that is?” And just creating connection in those conversations can be really helpful.

TOM: What I will say in follow up to that is you will see and hear about those Pride festivals that maybe do have a bit more expression than small town Prides. Canyon County Pride is not that. We require t-shirts. We’re family friendly. We’re all ages. And we’ve had those dialogues and conversations so that parents aren’t coming with that surprise and having to have that – although totally open to do so – so I would just say that Canyon County Pride is a great entry-level Pride. It’s small town. It’s all ages. And it’s a great stepping stone towards a deeper connection with your kid. 

SARA: I know, I’m remembering last year I had the pleasure of volunteering at the art booth. And I’ve been to Boise Pride a number of times for years now. But I was struck particularly, how many families were coming to the art booth to do the craft and do the art, how many first-timers that were there that were young people, high school age and younger, who were vibrating with some delight about how it was their first time. And watching parents get to watch their kid’s joy just explode in being able to be in this space with all of these people. I’m sure that some of those kids had no idea that there were that many queer people in their city. 

VAN: Oh, for sure. And I think a lot of those kids you saw, not only were they thrilled to see people like them in their city, but a lot of them showed up as themselves for the first time with their parent. And that’s something that was really, really, really special because we see it a lot at Clutch. Again, shout out Clutch, if you can’t tell, Clutch saved my child’s life, and I have a giant, giant spot in my heart for Clutch. But a lot of the kids that show up to Clutch aren’t out to their family, only have that two hours once a week that they can go and feel comfortable, that they can go and be fed. A lot of them have food insecurities. A lot of them have emotional insecurities. And I think seeing those kids and kids just like them show up and feel excited about who they are is definitely something I look forward to seeing this year because I know it’s going to happen. And I think maybe challenging people to genuinely show up as yourself, whatever that is, is a great message to live by, too, specifically with parents. 

SARA: I’m curious to hear from you all. I think there was a nod to it a little bit, the umbrella brigade being one, but can you speak about how allies can show up in ways that are genuinely supportive?

TOM: Yeah. I think that now more than ever, we rely on allies for the leveraging of the work that needs to be done. We have so many amazing volunteers, and so many come to mind, that really lend a hand. And I think that’s the truest form of Allyship is like, “Hey we’ve got a full plate. Here’s a bunch of things we need help with.” And it’s some of our most committed volunteers are fierce allies who are the first to respond willing to help out. 

VAN: And I remember last year tearing everything down and cleanup, I was there because Tom went to go take care of preparing for the After-Party – Shout out After Party – and so I was staying there as, because Tom’s name was on the permit and everyone knows the gays were in the park, so I wanted it to be so clean afterward. And I remember, obviously we had tons of volunteers, but I remember going up to one of the main people that we’d assigned to cleaning up and was like, “Okay. I’m realizing I’m done with the things I needed to do. What can I do?” and she was like, “Oh, no, no, no, no. You should not be helping with this. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to pull up this chair. I know you haven’t sat down all day. I know you’re thirsty. You’re going to sit here and you’re going to drink this whole bottle of water and if you want to talk to people you can. Feel free. But do not lift a finger because you should be resting. You have done enough. And I, as an ally, would love to do the work.” And even though it seemed simple to them, I think it was a really cool moment for me to be like, “Oh. You know what? I am the queer person getting targeted a lot. I’m going to take a seat and let these people that love me and that love our community and that are here fighting for us and loving us, I am going to let them step in and do the work.”

SARA: That is a fantastic, beautiful story. My last question for you both before we wrap up: What does Pride mean to you personally, today, compared to before you even started organizing? Has it shifted for you?

TOM: For me it means community. And I think in a time when people feel more and more isolated and separate and disconnected, it’s a celebration of being together. And I think that’s what’s felt at Canyon County Pride. You can’t really describe it or put your finger on it, per se, until you’re there. And then you’re like, “Oh, this is what they mean when they say queer joy.” So I think more than ever, it’s just a matter of being in community and being together.

VAN: I love being part of your community. For me, I think Pride has morphed into – again kind of going back to why people go to church, and I don’t mean to be blasphemous or assume that I know the feeling that y’all feel – but when I went to church, I felt judged. I felt like an outcast. I felt like I didn’t belong. And I did cause problems while I was there to kind of change things. But underneath, I felt like I shouldn’t be there and I didn’t have the feelings that a lot of other people experience. For me, attending Pride, not just Canyon County Pride, attending Pride has changed that. And I think the word Pride, for me, is rooted in respect, respect for myself, respect for other humans. It’s rooted in joy, joy for my own journey. Joy for who I am today. Joy for the tiny person that went to church and didn’t feel like they were being celebrated. And joy for whoever I am tomorrow and the next day and the next day. I think it also has a feeling of alignment. I think sometimes Pride we think of hautiness and for me it’s more of joy and alignment and peace. 

SARA: I love that. Thank you. And you both know, as a church person, Van, I agree with you. I think there is something extraordinarily sacred about Pride. It’s hard to put into words. And Canyon County Pride in particular has really shifted for me. There’s something, we talk about how Pride started as a riot, started as a protest. And to watch what happens in that space, to watch community come together with the freedom and joyful expression and this sense of welcoming and belonging – everybody is hugging everybody – people are so delighted to see kids and outfits and the whole nine yards. It is just like this big family, feels like it really is that sort of joyful resistance and protest to the rhetoric and the myths and the legislation and the attacks on the queer community that have been rising in our state and now federally. And that’s just cool and it’s hard to describe the feeling to people who haven’t felt it before. 

TOM: So come feel that at Canyon County Pride, Sunday, June 14th from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. We can’t wait to see you there and kick off Pride season in Treasure Valley.

SARA: And for those of you in other parts of the country, go find your small town Pride and go there because they need you and it’s the most amazing, beautiful experience. Both of you, Thank you for your time. Thank you for being such extraordinary leaders and organizers and community for bringing this community this beautiful thing. I hope those who are listening today will seek out their home town Prides, maybe some even organize them. I want to also offer to folks, if you want to contact us at Mama Dragons if you want to organize a Pride in your community, we can put you in touch with Tom and Van. And they have some tips. They’re just regular people like the rest of us that just saw a vision and did a thing. And it has turned into something extraordinary. I’m so excited for this success. Thank you both so much for spending so much time with us today. 

VAN: Thanks, Sara.

TOM: Thank you so much. Happy Pride.

SARA: Happy Pride. Thanks so much for joining us here In the Den. We want to tell you about free, public QPR classes. QPR is question, persuade, refer and it is a powerful suicide prevention training designed to equip you with the skills and confidence to recognize warning signs and respond when someone you love may be in crisis. The training is online, secure, and just two hours long. It’s a small time commitment that can make a life-saving difference. You can register for this training on our website at mamadragons.org. 

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