Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 28

Keisha Lance Bottoms Backs 13th ColGay Pride Halloween Event as Group Says Trump Cuts Forced Closure

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 28

Keisha Lance Bottoms Backs 13th ColGay Pride Halloween Event as Group Says Trump Cuts Forced Closure

Q: Why is a 13-year community Halloween tradition shutting down despite backing from a prominent public figure?

It is shutting down because ColGay Pride says the event is no longer financially sustainable, even with sponsorship from Keisha Lance Bottoms. The group said its Halloween celebration is ending after 13 years because of funding pressures and reduced financial support. Additional reporting and the group’s own appeals point to rising event costs, donor fatigue, and broader cuts in outside funding, all of which have made it harder to keep large community programs going. Bottoms’ backing appears to be limited and has not been publicly detailed. Her campaign did not say how much she contributed, so there is no indication that her sponsorship was large enough to solve the organization’s broader budget problems. In other words, a prominent name can add visibility, but it does not necessarily cover recurring operating costs, entertainment, permits, staffing, venue expenses, and production needs. The wider context suggests this is part of a larger strain on ColGay Pride rather than a one-event decision. The organization has also sought extra sponsorship money for other major Columbus events and has publicly discussed financial stress. Separate local reporting said the group was restructuring and shifting operations toward Pensacola Pride, with some programming continuing under a new arrangement. So the tradition is ending not because it lacked attention, but because ColGay Pride says the financial model behind it no longer works.

Q: What exactly did the former mayor contribute to the local event, and why does the sponsorship amount remain a secret?

What Keisha Lance Bottoms contributed has not been publicly disclosed. The available reporting only says she is listed as a sponsor of ColGay Pride’s Halloween event in Columbus, but neither her campaign nor organizers have specified whether that support was cash, in-kind help, promotional backing, or some other form of assistance. The sponsorship amount appears to remain undisclosed for a simple reason: no one involved has released it. Reports say the campaign did not immediately answer questions about what Bottoms contributed, and the public event materials available online identify sponsor opportunities but do not show her exact level of support or any dollar figure tied to her name. So, based on the record now, there is no verified evidence of a secret payment so much as an unanswered disclosure question. Unless the campaign, ColGay Pride, or a later financial filing provides details, the exact contribution remains unknown. What is clear is that ColGay Pride said the event is its final Halloween celebration after 13 years because of funding pressures and declining support, which helps explain why outside sponsorship mattered. But it does not clarify Bottoms’ specific role beyond sponsorship.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 28

ColGay Pride thanked Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms for sponsoring its upcoming Halloween event, a 13th and final celebration that includes trick-or-treating for children and an adults-only drag show after 9 p.m.
The Columbus, Georgia, LGBTQ group said Trump-era federal funding cuts left it reliant on private donations and unable to keep operating, writing that it will close next year after struggling to raise money.
Bottoms' campaign did not say how much she contributed or whether she viewed children attending the broader event as appropriate, leaving the scope of her sponsorship unclear.
The sponsorship adds to scrutiny of Bottoms' LGBTQ policy record in the governor's race, where Republicans are already attacking her debate statement that she would have vetoed the Riley Gaines Act.

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Fox News4h ago

Keisha Lance Bottoms Sponsors ColGay Pride Halloween Event with Drag Shows

Why is a 13-year community Halloween tradition shutting down despite backing from a prominent public figure?

What exactly did the former mayor contribute to the local event, and why does the sponsorship amount remain a secret?

How will grassroots organizations survive financial pressures when even high-profile sponsorships cannot save long-running community festivals?

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1 total

Right100%

Fox News4h ago

Keisha Lance Bottoms Sponsors ColGay Pride Halloween Event with Drag Shows

Keisha Lance Bottoms Backs 13th ColGay Pride Halloween Event as Group Says Trump Cuts Forced Closure

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