To fund Winter PrideFest, a multi-day and multi-event weekend celebrating diversity and inclusivity in the outdoors through various winter activities, film screenings, cultural discussions, social gatherings, and fun.

Following its inaugural year in 2018, the success and expansion of Winter PrideFest are directly attributed to the financial support provided by the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund.

The initial Catalyst Grant awarded to OUT Central Oregon for the 2019 event helped us develop and implement a marketing outreach strategy using various social media channels that increased participation from approximately 150 in 2018 to 450 in 2019. Continued support from the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund Marketing Grants since then helped grow the event to over 1,200 participants in 2022. In addition to providing financial resources for our marketing and outreach efforts, this support allowed us to add additional events to the weekend, including panel discussions on inclusivity in the outdoors, films screenings, and youth events.

OUT Central Oregon is extremely grateful for the resources provided by the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund and their belief in our vision of Winter PrideFest being a premier winter event in the Pacific Northwest that celebrates inclusivity and love of the outdoors. —Jamie Nesbitt, President of the Board Out Central Oregon