LOOGOOTEE, Ind. — A southern Indiana city must allow a pride festival back in the public square after a federal court ruled the city's special events ordinance unconstitutional.
The Loogootee PrideFest will return to the city's Public Square on September 6, 2025, following the U.S. District Court for the Southern Division of Indiana's decision to grant a permanent injunction against the ordinance, finding it violates the First Amendment.
The city passed the special events ordinance in 2024 and amended it in 2025, changing the application process for using city property. The ACLU of Indiana filed suit against the ordinance in 2024.
While a preliminary injunction was pending, the city allowed PrideFest 2024 to take place at the Public Square. However, the city refused to permit the 2025 event at the same location until the court's ruling.
"Other public events are held in the Loogootee Public Square, and there is no reason that PrideFest should be any different," said Ken Falk, legal director for the ACLU of Indiana. "We're pleased that the court once again allowed this important celebration of the LGBTQ+ community to go forward there."
Tracy Brown-Salsman, vice president of Patoka Valley AIDS Community Action Group and PrideFest organizer, said visibility is crucial for the local LGBTQ+ community.
"Having our 3rd Annual Loogootee PrideFest downtown on the public square is so important because that visibility matters. Visibility literally saves lives," Brown-Salsman said.
The event will take place at Diversity Fountain on the Public Square from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on September 6, 2025.
