Colleen Mewing grew up in Davis County, graduating from Clearfield High School in the early 1980s. At the time, there were no high school Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs, no Mama Dragons offering support to mothers with LGBTQ+ children and no focus on mental health issues in the queer community. 

Mewing now sits on the Davis County Pride board and served as entertainment chair for this year’s Davis County Pride Festival. 

“Being visible in the community, being married to the woman I love, and holding our 5th annual Pride Festival in Davis County is more than my 17-year-old self could ever imagine,” Mewing said. “Pride means being able to celebrate who I am. This is me!”

The fifth Davis County Pride Festival was expected to be the biggest ever, and organizers said it surpassed expectations. With nearly 8,000 attendees, more than 130 vendors, plus the support of sister organizations like Utah Pride and Ogden Pride, the festival offered the community the opportunity to celebrate love and acceptance.

Davis County Pride Executive Director Jake Boyle said he didn’t think the event could have gone any better. The festival started in 2021, after the Davis School District banned Pride flags in classrooms. With hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced across the country each year, Davis County Pride Festival organizers want to create a strong, supportive LGBTQ+ community.

“Some of the most hurtful bills introduced each legislative session originate from those claiming to represent Davis County,” Boyle said. “Our festival is an important reminder to all that we are here, we will take up space and we are filled with pride.”

Held at Layton Commons Park on May 2, the festival featured the Salt Lake Men’s Choir, Matrons of Mayhem Drag Bingo, Cirque Du Kairos, the Lavender Menaces Marching Band, buskers and variety acts, and dozens of booths from local businesses, churches and support groups.

Attending the event was Neca Allgood, the first president of Mama Dragons. The Utah-founded organization has grown into a nationwide group supporting moms of LGBTQ+ kids. 

“The data is very clear that LGBTQ kids who have supportive parents thrive in a way that kids don’t if they don’t have supportive parents,” she said. “Our goal is to help get moms to that position where they know how to be a supporter and parent to their kid.”

Students from the Davis High School Gay-Straight Alliance Club were also on hand. Hunter Sneddon serves as the club’s president.

“We offer a safe space for queer folk to hang out and chill,” he said. “It’s important for high school kids to know that being queer is acceptable. We can exist. We do exist.”

Boyle said as Davis County Pride continues to collaborate with groups and organizations, the goal is to build an inclusive community where people can be involved all year. Over the last year, organizers branched out to create a backyard concert series, a Valentine’s breakfast and a Thanksgiving dinner. 

On the last Sunday of each month, Something Wicked Coffee (772 E. 700 South, Clearfield) hosts an LGBTQ Coffee and Conversations meetup from 4-6 p.m. and Moore Good Ideas in Clearfield (782 E. 700 South) holds a Queer Youth Art Night on the second Monday of the month. Davis County Pride will also participate in the Utah Pride Festival on June 6-7. 

“As we continue to grow, what we’re hoping to do is offer more community opportunities to get together and to associate with one another and build that community throughout the year,” Boyle said. “I hope Davis County Pride experiences similar growth and transformation. I hope we get more people involved who want to take it to that next level. I hope it’s a better and even happier version of itself.” 

To learn more, visit daviscountypride.org.