Loogootee PrideFest will return to the city’s Public Square after a federal court ruled that the city’s special events ordinance violates the First Amendment.

According to ACLU Indiana, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued a permanent injunction against the ordinance and ordered the city to allow the festival to take place downtown on September 6, 2025.

The ordinance, passed in 2024 and amended in 2025, altered the application process for using city property. The ACLU of Indiana filed suit last year, arguing the changes restricted access to public space. While PrideFest 2024 was allowed at the Public Square under a temporary arrangement, the city initially denied use of the space for this year’s event.

Ken Falk, legal director for the ACLU of Indiana, said in a statement:
“Other public events are held in the Loogootee Public Square, and there is no reason that PrideFest should be any different. We’re pleased that the court once again allowed this important celebration of the LGBTQ+ community to go forward there.”

Tracy Brown-Salsman, vice president of the Patoka Valley AIDS Community Action Group and PrideFest organizer, added:
“Patoka Valley AIDS Community Action Group is so grateful to the ACLU for again protecting civil rights in Loogootee, Indiana. It is so important for our local LGBTQA+ community to be celebrated and seen. Having our 3rd Annual Loogootee PrideFest downtown on the public square is so important because that visibility matters. Visibility literally saves lives!”

This year’s PrideFest will be held at Diversity Fountain on the Public Square from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 6.

The decision can be found here.