Provo is known for its spirit of volunteerism, and the Freedom Festival is a shining example of what ordinary citizens can do when they dedicate their time and energy to a good cause. The festival shines a spotlight on America's strengths in a remarkable way, with some of that light shining worldwide as military personnel are given the option to tune in to the festivities.
I am pleased to announce that festival organizers and Provo City have agreed to incorporate non-discrimination language into their contractual relationship. This is the result of months of dialogue and cooperative effort. We believe this has been a growing process for those involved and that the result is a positive one.
As part of this process, the Freedom Festival has evaluated and refined several elements pertaining to the parade. Their effort has been to maintain a high-quality parade while ensuring best practices are followed and that both the spirit and letter of legal restrictions are followed. We thank the volunteer board members, in particular, for their dedicated service.
Thanks to everyone who has been involved in this process. Thank you to the public for your patience while we've worked at this. We look forward to many more years of celebrating freedom and patriotism here in Provo.
We are thrilled that the Freedom Festival and LGBT groups have been able to come to a compromise on parade entries. When Mayor Kaufusi heard that they had been outright denied, she said that they can do better. This feels better. Thanks to all who helped this compromise come about, including Paul Warner from the festival and the leaders of the applicant groups. http://fox13now.com/2018/06/14/lgbt-groups-push-back-on-freedom-festival-commissioner-threatens-to-yank-taxpayer-funding/
I read about the new non-discrimination clause. That is great news. But it appears you left a loop hole in the clause that allows individual organizations to discriminate. Freedom Festival board excluded LGBT groups. Now my understanding is these types of festivals set the theme and the individual participants meet the theme. Hear it appears the festival board is saying our theme does not allow for LGBT participants. Now I really hate it when I see somebody urinating on another and somebody calling it a summer rain. This is discrimination by the city and by the so called freedom festival. Your Non-discrimination clause is sad when the Freedom Festival bigots can smear your face in it. The Freedom Festival is…
Dear Provo:
Can I start out by saying how I loved you?
Growing up in Provo was idyllic. I grew up near Heaps-a-Pizza and loved exploring lower campus and eating lunch by the canal. I loved that I could walk to school and had grandparents
who lived through the yard. I loved getting fresh eggs from BYU's poultry farm, and I loved that BYU was just close enough to be part of our lives when we wanted it.
And of all the holidays we celebrated in Provo, the 4th of July was hands down the best. I loved sleeping out on the lawn the night before, awaking to a 21-gun salute, eating pancakes at the Kiwanis breakfast, and vigilantly guarding…
To previous comment “The contract reads, “[The Freedom Festival] agrees not to and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its applicable activities in violation of federal, state or local laws.”
It continues, “Nevertheless, the parties recognize and acknowledge that, consistent with applicable law, parade and other event organizers in general, and the Freedom Festival Board of Trustees in particular, have wide discretion to include or exclude organizations, groups, individuals, content, etc., on a wide variety of grounds, including but not limited to the perceived quality of the entry or offering; alignment with the theme, mission and values of the Festival;…
And, right after signing the contract, they announced that they're excluding Encircle and several other groups.
Provo needs to terminate all public funding and support of the Freedom Festival immediately.