COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Many safety volunteers and police officers were present to ensure safety at the Pride in the Park event in downtown Coeur d’Alene on Saturday.
This year’s event, sponsored by the North Idaho Pride Alliance(NIPA), was the largest they have ever had, with more than 70 vendors present.
Dr. Sarah Lynch, the executive director for the NIPA said they had plans in place for any safety concerns.
“We have a really robust comprehensive safety plan that covers everything from someone getting dehydrated or maybe a child gets lost. We have medical and mental health assistance throughout the park,” Lynch said.
Thousands of people made their way to Coeur d’Alene Park and enjoyed t-shirt printing, live entertainment, and access to resources tailored to the LGBTQ+ community.
“If there’s folks that feel isolated in North Idaho this is a safe place for them to come and meet people,” Lynch said.
One of the groups that was present was PFLAG, a group that was created more than 40 years ago but has been recently restarted in north Idaho. President Jeff Wickham said the organization helps address a number of needs for those in Kootenai County.
