T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Drag performer Nikita Luv Lyon lip syncs to “Battlefield” by Jordin Sparks during Saturday’s Pride in the Park. The performers danced to music in West End Park as their crowd applauded and cheered the show on.

The annual Pride in the Park at West End brought entertainment and information to the community on Saturday.

After Live Pro Wrestling performed for the crowd, event founder Taylor Bear started the first sensory hour. Music was turned down and attendees were encouraged to engage in relaxing activities, such as sidewalk chalk or meditation. While the sensory hour was ongoing, a drum circle courtesy of Drum Iowa was held.

Once the sensory hour finished, the hour-long Lyon Drag Showcase entertained the crowd through lip syncing and dancing with performers such as Lonika LaReese Knight of Marshalltown.

Attendees were also free to visit booths selling wares, such as flowers or jewelry, or providing information. One such booth which made its Marshall County debut was the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Heart of Iowa chapter. Headquartered in Ames, the chapter covers Marshall, Story, Boone, Hardin, Hamilton and Webster counties.

Helping man the booth was Layne Pieri of Marshalltown who suggested the chapter set up a booth at Pride in the Park, and Caleb W.

“We are very new and trying to get involved in Marshalltown,” Caleb W. said.

Caleb W. said Pride in the Park was a good event to start with, as attendees would likely share their opinions on LGBTQ rights.

“We have not heard anything negative, and a lot of people have signed up for our email list,” he said.

Pieri said the DSA is not tied to the Democratic Party, and is further left than what a typical Democrat would be.

“There are differing opinions if we should associate with the Democrats at all or go independent,” he said. “There is room for disagreement within the DSA.”

Pieri said decisions are not made by one person nor by the “super wealthy.” Caleb W. added that members are not told to take particular stances on anything by the national body.

“There is not a shadow organization from New York telling us how to run things,” he said. “The people here with the DSA are from this area.”

According to Pieri, members are encouraged to stick to issues they care about, such as data centers which is something he is focused on. He wants to keep his eyes peeled about upcoming Marshalltown and Marshall County events, so the DSA can make a return.

“We want to tell people what we’re about, and reduce their barrier to getting involved,” Pieri said.

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.