Park board hears heated public debate over Pride festival drag performance; reviews certificate of insurance

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. — The Zionsville Park and Recreation Board spent much of its Aug. 13 public-comment period hearing sharply divided views about a Pride Festival at Mulberry Fields scheduled for the coming weekend, and reviewed a certificate of insurance the event organizer supplied to the board. The discussion matters because residents urged the board to rescind the town's approval or take other steps, while legal staff and the board's advisors explained the board's limited authority and the high legal standard for prohibiting performances as obscene under Indiana law. Dozens of people spoke during the public-comment portion. Opponents said the event, and a drag performance scheduled as part of it, is inappropriate in a public park where children and other families may be present. Regina Sherrow, who gave her address as 1838 Corniche Drive, said she was "not in favor of the drag queen" aspect of the event and asked whether the board had reviewed the insurance and whether the town could be…