FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Franklin Pride Festival will return to the Park at Harlinsdale Farm this June after a close vote and hours of public comment.
More than 100 people took turns at the mic at Tuesday's Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting to share why they wanted — or did not want — the pride festival to take place this year.
When it came time to vote the city's aldermen were split — four voted to allow the festival while four voted against it. Mayor Ken Moore was the tie-breaking vote voting to approve the permit.
"So if I look at what we asked the Pride applicants to do, they did what was asked of them — no drag," said Moore. "And the other things as far as publishing or letting us know who their acts were or things of that nature, and they got the message, I hope, that it needed to be family-friendly."
"We all are breathing a sigh of relief," said Robert McNamara, president emeritus of Franklin Pride. "We weren't sure how it was going to go last night."
This year's festival will include plenty of food, music and rainbow flags, but McNamara said there's one thing it won't include.
"This year's Pride will be a little bit different as we have promised the city that there will not be a drag show, and we will honor that."
During Tuesday night's meeting, city leaders warned the event will be under scrutiny.
"Everybody's going to be looking," said Moore. "I don't know why they want to have it because they're really going to be under the microscope."
McNamara said he feels the pressure of planning this year's event, but believe it will comply with what city leaders expect.
"We know where we are," said McNamara. "We know we're in a rural setting. We're in a conservative town. We are planning for a family-friendly event."
Franklin Pride is set for June 3.
