HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Human Rights Commission of Hopkinsville-Christian County hosted Pride in the Park on June 13, where the community showed up to support local voices and foster a sense of community with the theme of “Love is Love.”

“I honestly didn’t expect this turnout, I was expecting something a lot smaller but I’m excited to see so many people here in support of this,” HRC Director Raychel Farmer told Christian County Now. As the city’s first ever Pride event, an enthusiastic crowd spent the afternoon relaxing at the Hopkinsville Greenway amphitheater where poets, authors and speakers were able to participate in an open mic.

Group of five adults sitting on stone steps at an outdoor park, smiling with drinks in hand, sunny summer day.
Pride in the Park sign with rainbow graphic; park tents and attendees visible in the background while people socialize on the lawn.
Outdoor community gathering in a circular stone plaza with a speaker addressing a diverse audience seated on steps and benches amid trees.
Two friends sit on a stone ledge outdoors, wearing black graphic tees and colorful makeup.
A group of people sits on stone steps in a park; man in foreground holds a straw hat and a pink drink can nearby.
Speaker on a small stone platform reading aloud into a microphone at an outdoor park, with a seated audience around a circular stone plaza under trees.
Group of four women at a park event; two sit in folding chairs, one stands wearing a black 'Free Mom Hugs' shirt, tents and people in the background.
Community fair scene: volunteers and attendees gather around a long table under a blue canopy in a park, sharing items and info as others mingle in the background.
Crowd of people at an outdoor park festival with blue tents and vendor stalls along a path
Four adults posing for a photo in a sunny park, two seated on a black bench and two standing behind them, smiling at the camera.
Two smiling adults posing together at an outdoor event in a grassy park; man wears a purple cap and white T-shirt with a rainbow logo, and an orange crossbody strap.
Two smiling women sit on folding chairs in a park, wearing bright tie-dye shirts; a striped crochet bag rests on the lap of the woman on the left.
Bearded man in a Pride T-shirt at a beer booth beneath a yellow canopy, with a chalkboard menu in view.
Smiling female vendor under a canopy at an outdoor market stall with bottles and gift-wrapped items on a table
Speaker with microphone addressing a small audience seated on circular stone steps in a leafy park amphitheater.
Man in a yellow shirt and sunglasses speaks at an outdoor booth under a canopy, arms raised, with rainbow shirts on display behind him and a woman in red approaching the table.
Group of volunteers under a canopy preparing lemonade, with coolers and stacked cups on a table.”,

Tucked beside the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library, people enjoyed a photo booth, food trucks and ice-cold drinks in the hot summer sun while building connections in a positive environment.

The morning of the event, anti LGBTQ signs and graffiti were found at the event site, according to Public Information Officer Justin Rios. The Hopkinsville Police Department was contacted and the area was cleared before people arrived.

As for the future of Pride in the Park, due to the high turnout and vendor interest, Farmer believes it will continue on and expand next year. She happily said, “We may have to find a bigger venue.”

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