There’s a certain tragic poetry in watching about 30 people gather in a park under a banner reading “Hetero Awesome Fest,” earnestly trying to outshine Pride Month with what amounted to a beige buffet of mediocrity. Held June 20–21 in Boise’s Cecil D. Andrus Park — practically within glitter-blowing distance of the Idaho State Capitol — this “celebration of family values” had all the energy of a lukewarm church potluck minus the charm… or decent potato salad. It wasn’t so much a festival as it was a confused backyard barbecue where joy went to die, and nobody brought sequins.
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Organized by Mark Fitzpatrick — a local bar owner and the self-appointed king of Straight Pride — the event was brought to you by his nonprofit, Heterosexual Awesomeness Inc. (yes, that’s real, and no, it’s not a parody… allegedly). Meant to be an alternative to LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations, the only thing “alternative” about it was the reality it seemed to be operating in. Attendance hovered somewhere between 30 to 50 people — and that’s being generous. At least half looked like accidental passersby: confused joggers, lost Capitol tourists, or folks just hoping to stumble into a food truck and finding disappointment instead.
SC https://www.instagram.com/p/DLOZueapb7z/?hl=en
The most buzzworthy moment of the whole event? A surprise musical protest that actually injected some life — and blessedly, a melody — into the otherwise nap-worthy affair. Local singer-songwriter Daniel Hamrick pulled a fast one on organizers Saturday afternoon, taking the stage under false pretenses and launching into a bold, unapologetic pro-trans anthem. It was giving protest performance art and Pride energy — and the crowd (well, Instagram) ate it up. The moment went viral, capturing the exact second Fitzpatrick himself stormed the stage like a flustered PTA dad at talent night, yanking the mic in what can only be described as a truly heterosexual display of crisis control.
What followed was a brief scuffle straight out of a low-budget farce. Fitzpatrick was confronted by an attendee who, in a moment of accidental comedy gold, didn’t realize he was the event organizer and assumed he was just some random guy crashing the show. Security stepped in to de-escalate, Hamrick was peacefully escorted out, and Boise police had a quick chat with him afterward. No arrests, no charges — just another cringe-filled chapter in the ever-growing Book of Boise Blunders.
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Fitzpatrick later told KTVB, “He [the attendee] wasn’t aware of what was happening and thought I might have been a random guy pulling the mic. Just a misunderstanding from a good citizen who had never met me yet.”
That may be true — but the real drama was just getting started. In a follow-up statement, Fitzpatrick labeled Hamrick a deceiver, then pivoted to a tired and toxic script, accusing the LGBTQ+ community of using similar “tactics to… victimize children.” No word yet on which dusty chapter of the Big Book of Baseless Smears that gem came from, but social media wasn’t having it. The backlash was swift, with many calling out the dangerous implications of that kind of rhetoric — the same kind that has fueled real harm under the guise of “values.”
Sadly, this kind of messaging is nothing new for Fitzpatrick. His Eagle-based bar, the Old State Saloon, has built a reputation for hosting eyebrow-raising events like “Beers for Breeders” nights, flat-earth meetups, Christian singles mixers, and trivia nights where the grand prize is — wait for it — an AR-15. It’s giving Duck Dynasty cosplay meets Facebook conspiracy uncle. And last June, in a move that somehow manages to be both tone-deaf and desperate, Fitzpatrick declared the entire month “Heterosexual Awesomeness Month” — because apparently the other eleven weren’t providing enough straight airtime.
For all the noise, Hetero Awesome Fest came and went with barely a ripple — no public sponsors, no endorsements, no notable community figures. It was giving “local Facebook group meetup” more than “movement.” Boise Pride and Canyon County Pride declined to comment beforehand, but still extended well wishes to the organizers. Because let’s be honest: grace under pressure? That’s peak queer-coded excellence.
The LGBTQ+ community, meanwhile, responded as only we can — with glitter, art, and razor-sharp wit. The Balcony Club, Boise’s beloved queer haven, hosted a drag show hilariously titled But, What About Straight Pride? — a rhinestone-studded, sequin-slinging masterclass in satire.
“This is why we have Pride,” said co-producer Aunt Tifa. “In 72 countries, it’s still illegal to be queer. We remember those we’ve lost, and we celebrate who we are.”
The contrast between the two events couldn’t have been clearer: one tried to define itself through exclusion and grievance; the other through joy, resilience, and unapologetic authenticity. While Fitzpatrick’s fest fizzled out like a sparkler in a rainstorm, Pride in Idaho — from downtown Boise to Canyon County — continues to thrive, drawing thousands, amplifying voices, and building actual community.
As for the future of Hetero Awesome Fest? Fitzpatrick hasn’t confirmed whether it’ll return in 2026 — but judging by this year’s sparse turnout, swirl of controversy, and the overwhelming vibe of “meh,” it may have already had its grand finale. A swan song in khakis, if you will.
Because here’s the truth: straight people are already centered — in media, in politics, in culture, in nearly every system we move through. It’s not the absence of “straight pride” that’s the issue — it’s the refusal to understand why Pride exists in the first place.
And Boise’s LGBTQ+ community made that crystal clear this weekend — not with outrage, but with celebration, art, protest, and power. They’re not going anywhere… except maybe to the next fabulous drag show with a cocktail in hand and rhinestones in their wake.
Mic dropped. Sparkles (highly encouraged). 🏳️🌈✨
Source: QSaltLake
They either hired queer talent or some boomer hippie that survived the sixties to create that opening splash title on the video. It doesn’t quite give the hetero-normal vibes I think the ‘straight’ organizers were going for.
That looks completely pathetic!