VIDEO: Sioux City 2023 Fall Events

Waverly, Iowa, had never before held a Pride event, and wanted to do something unique.

Organizers decided to showcase an important part of the town—the Cedar River—along with celebrating the area’s LGBTQ+ community.

“The current political landscape is messy and unpredictable,” the Waverly Human Equity and Diversity Commission said in announcing the event on the city’s website. “Let’s gather and celebrate the wonderful diversity of humanity and our community.”

The city’s own political landscape was messy: One group of pastors opposed any showcase of LGBTQ+ pride. Another group of pastors affirmed the event was welcome in town. It even made national news.

But the Sunset Pride Float on June 5, put together by the commission in collaboration with Crawdaddy Outdoors, was actually a chill event. At least 60 paddled a short stretch of the Cedar River in kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddle boards, while dozens of others cheered them on from the bridges and banks, holding signs and waving flags.

“Tonight was truly special,” one paddler wrote in an Instagram post. “Never have I been more proud of this town than I was tonight. Good on you Waverly!”