Pettis County Pride Picnic celebrates community, inclusion at Hubbard Park

Published 3:09 am Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Missouri sunshine, rainbows, music and friendly conversations filled Hubbard Park on Saturday, Oct. 10, as members of the LGBTQ+ community, their families, friends and allies gathered for the seventh annual Pettis County Pride Picnic.

The event brought together community members and organizations for a day of celebration, connection and education. Organizers said 23 organizations and vendors signed up to participate, offering resources and opportunities for visitors to learn more about services available throughout the community.

Cassie Brown, president of PFLAG Sedalia, said the picnic provides an opportunity for people to come together in a welcoming, family-friendly environment.

“It’s very light, very family friendly, very joyful,” Brown said. “A lot of rainbows, a lot of smiles, a lot of smiling faces, a lot of hugging.”

She described the atmosphere as a joyful family reunion, with longtime friends reconnecting and neighbors meeting one another.

“Today is about appreciating our neighbors and connecting with our neighbors,” Brown said. “It’s a picnic. It’s not a protest.”

Brown said the gathering was intended to celebrate the community and provide an opportunity for  LGBTQ+ residents to connect with people who support them, including family members, friends and local organizations.

She also emphasized the importance of creating a welcoming space for people who may question whether they will be accepted in Sedalia.

“I think it’s important to know that it creates a safe and welcoming space for people who often wonder if Sedalia can be safe and welcoming for them,” Brown said.

PFLAG, originally an acronym for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, is a national organization that supports  LGBTQ+   people and their allies. The Sedalia group works to educate the broader community while helping LGBTQ+  residents recognize that they have neighbors and organizations willing to support them.

Sedalia Mayor Traves Williams joined the celebration by proclaiming Oct. 10, 2026, Pettis County Pride Picnic Day in the city of Sedalia.

In the proclamation, Williams recognized the contributions  LGBTQ+ residents and their allies make to the city’s economic and social life. He also highlighted the picnic’s role in bringing people together, building connections and promoting understanding and respect among neighbors.

Williams expressed hope that the community would continue building a foundation based on respect, kindness and fellowship.

The picnic also drew visitors from outside the immediate area, including the Rev. Diana Wheeler, who works with the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

Originally from San Francisco, Wheeler moved to St. Louis three years ago after spending 20 years in ministry in San Francisco, where Pride celebrations are a major community event. She said she traveled to Sedalia after Brown invited her to attend.

Wheeler described the picnic as an opportunity for community members to educate one another and discuss inclusion and love for all people.

She said seeing Pride celebrations in smaller Midwestern communities offers encouragement to people she knows, many of whom have ties to the region.

“It gives the people that are in my life so much hope for the future,” Wheeler said.

Local writer and artist Brett Butler also attended the event, displaying his books and composite artwork. Butler, who identifies as a gay man and attended with his husband, said Pride provides an opportunity to celebrate being able to live openly.

He recalled participating in marches when he was younger and said he appreciated the progress made over the years.

For Butler, Saturday’s gathering offered a positive atmosphere and an opportunity for the community to show its support.

“This is great,” Butler said. “This is a great event for the community.”

As visitors browsed booths, talked with neighbors and enjoyed the afternoon, the picnic offered a chance to celebrate individual identities while emphasizing the connections shared across the community.

For Brown, that sense of belonging remained at the heart of the event: helping  LGBTQ+ residents know they are not alone and giving the wider community an opportunity to build understanding through personal connections.

Chris Howell can be reached at 660-530-0146.