Listen to the interview here:
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Organizers are preparing for what they describe as Bentonville’s first community-driven Pride event, set for June 13 at the downtown square, as local activists and volunteers work to expand LGBTQ+ visibility in Northwest Arkansas.
Gabrielle Crouch, founder of Love Over Fear NWA, said the event grew out of community organizing efforts and a desire to create more inclusive public spaces in Bentonville. The event is expected to feature local vendors, live music, art, face painting and community organizations.
“This is long overdue,” Crouch said during an interview with KPSQ Community Radio. “Bentonville deserves it as much as Fayetteville and Springdale.”
Crouch said the idea for the event was inspired in part by her father’s experience coming out as gay in Bentonville in 2016. She said he often traveled to Fayetteville to find LGBTQ+ spaces and community.
“My dad felt so alone in Bentonville as a queer person,” Crouch said. “This feels very full circle for me.”
The event is planned for 3:30 p.m. at Bentonville Square and is being organized largely through volunteers and donations from community members and local businesses, according to Crouch. She said organizers are also working with local restaurants, artists and performers to build the event lineup.
Crouch said the process of organizing the event has involved coordinating permits, vendors, safety planning and volunteers while balancing a full-time job. She said support from community members has helped the event come together.
“Without the community, none of it would be possible,” she said.
The event comes as Northwest Arkansas continues to grow rapidly, with organizers saying they hope Bentonville’s Pride celebration becomes an annual tradition and reflects broader changes across the region.
“If you’re from Fayetteville, please come to Bentonville and support your neighbors,” Crouch said. “I think it’s going to be an amazing event.”