Packing up his things backstage at the Music Factory in Battle Creek, Dakota Bovee removed the glimmering crown from his head and gave it a subtle kiss.
Bovee, a drag queen who performs under the name Dahlia Rivers, had just won the 2021 Mx. Battle Creek Pride Pageant.
“This week has been like, so little time to prepare, between my day job and just trying to make stuff happen,” Bovee said. “It’s unbelievable. That’s the word I’ll use.”
Bovee discovered his love for drag as a child when his mother, Sheila Martin, took him to Goodwill for a Halloween costume and they picked out a poodle skirt for him to wear. Today, Bovee designs and sews his own drag outfits.
“No one else is my size, my mother couldn’t sew worth a darn, and so I learned how to sew at a young age just to fix jeans,” Bovee said. “But then I got into drag and when I couldn’t buy costumes in my size. I had to buckle down and try making them myself.”
Six contestants competed for the crown Saturday night, judged on their presentation, talent and a question and answer portion of the show. Bovee’s question from the judges: What does Pride mean to you?
“It’s not just a month for us to flaunt to the world, it’s a reminder of where we’ve been, and where we still have to go,” Bovee said. “Across the globe, there are still places where you can be killed for being gay… But remember how far we’ve gotten and celebrate.”
While June is recognized nationally as Pride Month, Battle Creek traditionally holds its celebrations in July so the events don’t overlap with those in other cities. This year, a combination of in-person and virtual events will take place Monday, July 19 through Sunday, July 25.
“This year we tried our best to do our usual Pride Week with a downtown parade and a public festival,” Battle Creek Pride Co-President Deana Spencer said in a press release. “But with all the COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings, it was just impossible. So we’re moving to Plan B. And it’s going to be great.”
Below is a list of Pride events the Battle Creek area can look forward to. For more information, visit their website at battlecreekpride.org.
“Pride Week is our most important week of the year,” Spencer said. “We hope everyone in our LGBTQ+ community and in the Battle Creek area will help us celebrate and join in the fun.”
Monday, July 19 “The Pride Porchlight Project” – A citywide event that invites residents to switch out their porch lightbulbs for multi-colored bulbs, which can be ordered through BC Pride. Each night of the week will be represented by a different color.
Tuesday, July 20 “Queer Inquiry” – A virtual panel discussion of important Pride topics by experts in the fields of mental and physical health, law, politics and veterans’ affairs. The panelists will also take questions from online viewers.
Wednesday, July 21 The public dedication of a colorful downtown Pride mural.
Thursday, July 22 “LGBTQ&A” – A virtual trivia show in which local residents will answer Pride-related questions to win prizes.
Friday, July 23 An individual car parade that will caravan across the city.
Saturday, July 24 A public open house of the Battle Creek Pride Resource Center featuring local drag performers and refreshments. Attendees will receive tours of the center and be invited to contribute to a Battle Creek Pride time capsule that will be sealed until 2031.
Sunday, July 25 “Whatever Floats Your Boat” – A community river float down the Kalamazoo River including a drag show. A candlelight vigil will be held later in the evening to honor those lost in the past year.
Alyssa Keown is a visual journalist at the Battle Creek Enquirer. Contact her at akeown@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter at @alyssa_keown
