The Southlake City Council in Texas unanimously rejected a special-use permit for the Pride Kel-So festival on September 15. The event had been scheduled for October 3 at St Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, where the inaugural festival was held in 2025 after receiving city approval. Organizers said the council did not provide a reason for rejecting this year’s application.

Pride Kel-So is organized around the neighboring Keller and Southlake communities, with its name combining the two cities. The 2025 festival featured live music, vendors and family-oriented activities supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Organizers estimated that nearly 1,600 people attended last year, while another figure provided by organizers put attendance at about 2,500.

The permit requirement this year was linked to the expected size of the gathering. Organizers said the projected attendance meant they needed a special-use permit. Southlake’s Planning and Zoning Commission had previously recommended approval by a 5-1 vote, but the City Council later rejected the request.

Pride Kel-So co-founder April Dreyson attended the September 15 meeting. According to the organizers, council members did not ask her questions or discuss the application before voting. Dreyson said organizers had followed the recommendations provided during the application process and had not expected the permit to be rejected without an explanation.

Public comments at the meeting included opposition to the festival. One resident argued that the event did not represent the values of the local community. Rev. Ellen Singer, an associate pastor at the church hosting the festival, spoke in support of bringing it back and said events such as Pride Kel-So were intended to bring members of the community together.

City records identify the application as Resolution No. 26-028 (ZA26-0037), a specific-use permit for a mass gathering at St Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church. The Planning and Zoning Commission had reviewed the application and recommended approval by a 5-1 vote before the council’s final decision.

Following the denial, Pride Kel-So organizers said they would continue working to hold a community event and posted a statement on Facebook saying they would not be silenced. Local reporting said organizers were considering changes to the event’s format or size so that a different arrangement could still allow the gathering to take place.

The Southlake City Council has not publicly explained the specific reason for its decision. The dispute now centers on the local permit process, competing community views about the festival and the ability of LGBTQ+ groups to organize public events.

U.S.Texas suburb denies Pride festival permit