Small town, big pride: Prineville celebrates inclusion during annual Prideville festival

(Update: adding video, comments from board president)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A small Central Oregon town showed what “big pride” can look like Sunday, as Prideville brought a colorful celebration of community and belonging to downtown Prineville.

The annual festival transformed the area with rainbow flags, live performances, vendors, and families filling the space for a day centered on inclusion.

Prideville, which began in 2021, has grown into one of Central Oregon’s rural pride celebrations, organized by a volunteer board focused on creating a welcoming environment across the region.

“It’s a rural area. Small town vibe. Small town, big pride. And we want all of the young people in this town’s community, in the whole region of Central Oregon, to know that they are seen and celebrated,” said Alia Fern, board president of Prideville.

Organizers say participation continues to grow each year, with vendor spaces and stage time full for this year’s event.

In addition to the main stage, festivalgoers could take part in activities like aerial silks, yard games, and a community canvas booth, where attendees added artwork and messages to be shared throughout the year.

“We build the village and everybody shows up. And then in a few hours, it’ll all come back down. But it lives on in our hearts and we just kind of keep that vibe and happiness alive for the season until we can come back next year,” Fern said.

Fern says the festival is part of a broader effort to strengthen connections beyond a single day, with plans to expand the board, bring in more volunteers, and create additional social and arts-focused events across Central Oregon.

“We do fight for our rights. We do advocate. We do all of that kind of day-to-day work. And this is the time where we get to come together and just get to smile, laugh, and play,” she said.

Fern says this year’s response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive — support organizers hope to continue building on.

“Prideville is everywhere,” she added.

For more information or to get involved, visit prideville.org.