FAQs

What About Accessibility, Parking & Restrooms? 

The parking directly in front of the Shawnee Prairie building is reserved for accessible parking. The remainder of the lot is open to vendors, guests and attendees, as well as those visiting the park. In addition, the Center has reserved the park’s overflow lot. 

Restrooms are available in the Shawnee Prairie Building where you can also find opportunities to check out and explore the many amazing features and exhibits. Portable Restrooms are also available near the Main Stage. 

Activities are generally accessible in the Shawnee Prairie Building and along the paved trails in the Pride area. Fixed seating is available near the main stage and the picnic area, and you’re welcome to bring your own. Some park trails may be inaccessible for people with limited mobility or who use certain mobility devices. Please use caution on any self-guided tours through the Park’s trails and nature areas. 

Why do we need a Pride in Darke County? 

Our Center was founded in 2024 in line with the Ohio Suicide Prevention Plan to foster a sense of community, promote whole person health and wellbeing, and create a safe, welcoming and inclusive Darke County for all people, including LGBTQ+ children, youth, adults, and families. Darke County Pride furthers our mission by celebrating our community’s culture and diversity, bringing together community and wellness partners, and creating a safe space to learn about and advocate for freedom, inclusion and full civil and human rights. Today, LGBTQ+ children, youth, adults, and families have lost some basic human and civil rights – including parental rights and access to mental and medical health care – right here in Ohio. These challenges have a negative impact on our community’s health and wellbeing and our Pride helps to ensure that our voices remain at the forefront suicide prevention, wellness, and rural American values like freedom, accessibility, inclusion, and community. 

Why is Darke County Pride in August/September? 

As many people know, Pride honors the historic June 1969 Stonewall Riots which sparked the global LGBTQ+ human and civil rights movement. Many organizations and communities celebrate Pride during June, and we want to honor those events have that existed for long periods of time. As part of the Darke County community, we also want to respect those community events locally that have existed for decades.

Our Pride is generally held on the 1st Saturdays in August to both commemorate Darke County’s first Pride Visibility and Equality March which was held in downtown Greenville, on August 7, 2021 and respect long-standing local and statewide community gatherings, events, and Prides. We are a partner in the Darke County community and look forward to celebrating each year. This year, we are holding our event in September to honor both the LGBTQ+ Movement and Suicide Prevention Month.

What is a Safe Space? 

The Center aims to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone! In order to do that, we’ve come up with just a few COMMUNITY guidelines: 

Come with the goal of meeting new and diverse people from all walks of life and/or learning something new! We encourage people to meet one another and learn about new things. Need some alone time at Pride? That’s okay, too! There’s plenty of space at the park to enjoy! 
Our facilities, programs and services are firearms, drug and alcohol free. Please, no drugs or alcohol on the premises. Smoking and vaping are permitted outside in the designated smoking area. Please be sure to extinguish all materials to keep the land safe.
Mutual respect is key to building community. We’re a super diverse community and learning about one another is an exciting process! We might not always see eye to eye, but we can always treat each other with basic dignity and respect. We encourage people to resolve any differences, clear up any miscommunications, and be sure to communicate their own boundaries clearly, and to respect the boundaries of others. While we encourage people to express themselves and offer differing viewpoints, violence, threats of violence, intimidation, harassment, hate speech, bigotry, name calling, bullying, unwanted contact and unwanted sexual advances are not permitted. 
Meeting new people is part of the goal! Find a new crush at Pride? Awesome! Remember, consent matters, and Pride is still a public place.
Unity is what we’re about! We hope people build lasting relationships at Pride! However, we also know that some people are just coming out or may be at the Center for private reasons. In order to maintain everyone’s privacy, please, no taking pictures or use of cameras, microphones or other recording devices without express consent of all parties involved, particularly youth. 
Nurture positivity and accept compliments! At Pride, we try to encourage others, build people up, and celebrate what makes each person unique. Not sure how? Try this: “Thank you, I appreciate that!”
Invest in Pride for yourself and others. Pride is a place where we can all have fun and sometimes that means making a mess! We remind everyone to clean up after themselves and lend a hand in keeping up the Park whenever possible. 
Talk it Out – Here’s What “Safe” Means to Us – We believe all people have a right to feel safe and secure in themselves and in their environments. We aim to ensure this environment is maintained in our programs, services and spaces. We also recognize that healthy conflict is a normal part of human growth and relationships, and we aim to foster healthy conflict resolution skills that encourage people to speak their truths, work things out, value relationship, and work towards common ground and understanding of one another.
You Matter! Our guidelines are intended to keep Pride safe for all those who attend. But most importantly, we encourage you to be you!!! Have an idea or input for Pride? We welcome that as well!

What About Security and/or Protestors? 

Our Center works closely with the Darke County Sheriff’s Department, as well as many community partners, to ensure our community, guests, participants, attendees, partners, and our organization are safe, welcome, valued, included, respected, heard and supported. You might notice some extra patrols at the Park throughout the day, and we’ll also have security at the event. While we expect an amazing and safe event, if you do see someone engaging in violence, threats of violence, intimidation, harassment, hate speech, bigotry, name calling, bullying, unwanted contact or unwanted sexual advances, please report it to a visible officer, or someone on our team wearing the bright blue shirts and lanyards right away. The Center has a special permit to use the park and facilities on Saturday, September 12, 2026 for Pride and guests of Pride who support the Center’s mission, vision, core beliefs, guiding principles and values. Protestors or anyone engaging in the above would be asked to leave. If you do see protests alongside the road leading to the park’s entrance, please do not engage with them for your safety. 

How Can I Support Pride and the Center? 

Our Center in a volunteer-driven, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supported by community members and donations. You can support our work and ensure a safe community space in Darke County by donating here. 

I Have More Questions! 

Great! Send us an email or stop by the Center’s booth at Pride! You can also join us for our regular programs, services and events throughout the month.