COLUMBIA — Despite a national downward trend in corporate engagement in Pride Month, Columbia's largest Pride event says a lack of funding is not an issue.

Mid-Missouri PrideFest is a two-day event in Columbia in the fall that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community.

Vendors line the downtown Columbia streets, and musical artists perform. The event is pushed to later in the year to ensure University of Missouri students can attend.

Joe Jefferies, the fundraising director of the organization, said PrideFest's vendor sponsor fundraising launched Sunday and is already at 20% of its goal.

"We also had one of our great corporate sponsors already come back," Jefferies said. "So we're feeling good on that."

Jefferies added that one area where Pride groups may see a lack of funding is at the federal

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