More than 1,500 people showed up for the first-ever Kel-So Pride event held Oct. 4 at St. Martin in the Field Episcopal Church, which is in Southlake but has a Keller address, according to organizers April and Shaina Dreyson. They described the event as a huge success, despite statements from Keller Mayor Armin Mizani condemning the event.
The Dreysons said in an email that they see attendance as “really impressive for a first-year event” and that they believe attendance “would have been double that (at least) had the negative posts and scare tactics by local ‘leaders’ not gone out.” In the end, they said, those attending could see “just how on top of security we were,” and that statements from Mizani and other right-wingers in the end “gave us tons of free marketing.”
In a message to vendors and sponsors following the festival, the Dreysons said, “We’ve had more than 400 messages and comments from people who attended, specifically on how amazing you, the vendors, were. Nearly all of them included that the services/products were all top notch, but more importantly they all said that every single vendor was so kind and wonderful to chat with, and they felt so much love from each of you.”
They also said that many of those attending spoke of being glad for the chance to meet “like-minded people,” and that they were very glad to see how many allies of the LGBTQ+ community turned out…