Returning for a second year in a row, Boro Pride is a program of the Tennessee Equality Project's (TEP) Foundation and is presented by TEP Rutherford County Committee, a local arm of the TEP Foundation. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2017, from 3:00–10:00 p.m., with the Boro Pride Walk starting at 4:00 p.m. in front of the Rutherford County Courthouse on the side facing East Main St.

Boro Pride was organized with one goal in mind: to foster and nurture a more diverse and inclusive atmosphere in Rutherford County. The event aims to bring the LGBTQ population together, along with allies, to promote unity in the county and in the city of Murfreesboro. Boro Pride is thus family friendly and open to the general public.

As Boro Pride Committee Chair/TEP Liaison Brittany Benefield said, “Having a Pride event in Murfreesboro meant a lot to the LGBT community who call this city home. It’s hard to believe that almost 1,000 people came to last year’s inaugural event… Rutherford County has a large LGBT and supportive community; it was long overdue for us to have a Pride event of our own. Like all Pride events, Boro Pride is important because it supports the rights of LGBT people and helps them be who they truly are. The Boro Pride Committee hopes the event will help Rutherford County become more supportive of its LGBT community.“

This year's emcee and headline performer is Iona, from Chameleons' Lounge drag cast. She was a crowd favorite last year and will undoubtedly be so again this year. The full entertainment lineup for the event will be released prior to the event on its Facebook page.

Last year’s event drew a great crowd and a lot of vendors, and interest has only increased. Currently the event’s vendors/sponsors include O&AN, of course, as well as Alpha Lambda Zeta Fraternity, Ben Griffith Artist, GLSEN Tennessee, Jennifer White Henna, Kaleidoscope, Lambda Car Club, Lucent Vignette Photography, Murfreesboro Little Theatre, MT Lambda, My Boro Agent, Nashville Animal Advocacy, Open Table Christian Church, PFLAG Nashville, Rainbow Rutherford, Rutherford County Democratic Party, Simply Pure Sweets, Suntrust, The Change Project, and U.S. Bank.

Boro Pride will be continuing to accept vendors as long as space permits. The event is also lining up food trucks, so you’ll want to check that out as well!

For more information about Boro Pride, check out the event’s page. The event will be updated regularly as more entertainment and vendors are signed. See you on September 9 out at Boro Pride!

PHOTO CREDIT: Lucent Vignette Photography