How a Pink Knysna Festival was born
Richard Dawson and his spousal partner Colin Lang spoke to the Knysna-Plett Herald about their involvement in the now 16-year-old Pink Loerie Mardi Gras & Arts Festival.
According to Dawson, soon after moving to Knysna in 1995, a small group held an informal meeting to discuss what Knysna’s LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex) community could do to “liven things up” during the very quiet months between Easter and the Oyster Festival.
“Both Colin and I, as well as owner of Candelight [a then Knysna coffee shop] Mike Vlok wanted to share the uniqueness and beautiful environment of this wonderful town,” explained Dawson.
He added that during the 30 years prior to their retirement to Knysna they were steadily counted among those who had been pressing for the recognition of a Charter of General Human Rights and in particular, those of homosexual persons in the South African society.
“Our group of local gay friends and our considered project were encouraged by the liberty and freedom we felt after the new Constitution that was adopted in 1996,” said Dawson. “We asked ourselves, ‘Why don’t we consider holding a gay festival in Knysna, a type of mardi gras to make a statement of ‘gaylib’?
This festival should attract many folk from outside Knysna to enjoy a programme of events and functions, with a final and most important event called A Colourful Gay Street Parade with floats on the Saturday afternoon, with charitable appeals included along the route.”
He added, “Because the Knysna Loerie bird is unique to the area and famous for the red flashes in its spread wings, it was agreed that the title of the festival would include this bird and naturally we included pink, as this referred to gay colours.”
The Pink Loerie festival starts on April 27 until April 29.
Source: Knysna Plett Herald News