Sterling Square hosted an Oscar watch party featuring food and desserts. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the university’s new lab theatre.

“It also serves us very well in recruiting purposes,” says UE theatre director Sharla Cowden.

“We audition over 22 hundred students every year. You accept only 40 in the first year class, so we really feel this will bow well for us on a national level too, being able to improve the quality of students that come to the university.”

In addition to watching the Oscars, patrons played games including guessing who would win in each category.

According to library officials, approximately 275 children and their guardians were able to experience Drag Queen Story Hour over multiple sessions. It is also estimated that more than 150 children and their guardians were turned away due to capacity.

Drag Queen Florintine Dawn read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Goodnight Moon. In addition, children danced to “The Hokey Pokey,” Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” and “Freeze Dance.” In anticipation of a large gathering, EVPL North Park had several activities, books, and crafts ready in the Children’s Tower for before and after the program and for those who were not able to attend the event.

“I’m definitely happy to be here today,” Dawn said. “I’m excited. When the kids come into the room … I’m full of life right now. Reading to kids means a lot to everyone. The public library has definitely done a fantastic job.”

Outside, several hundred people gathered in support and opposition of the event.

“I’m just here to show support for Drag Queen Story Hour and the LGBTQ people in our community,” said Gena Garrett. “I think the messages that kids hear are important and I think if a kid is gay or queer or questioning, it’s really important they hear love and they hear that they matter and are accepted.”

Jude Grer is bisexual and was on hand to support kids because she did not get much support when she was growing up.

“Kids that are going to grow up … on the hateful side, the Christian side that doesn’t approve of this, and they’re going to be gay,” said Grer. “It’s going to hurt to know their parents were against something so, loving and historic.”

Many people were on hand holding signs condemning the library board’s decision to host the story hour.

“We’re here to protest this library board allowing the drag queens to perform for the children,” said Randy Cain. “I think it’s terrible to put the children involved with this. This is awful.
“I can’t believe that our Evansville council, the mayor, the commissioners, and the library board all allowed this to happen.”

Pat O’Brien is a military veteran and says he supports the rights of those in favor of the drag queen story hour, but as a Christian, he believes he is standing up for what is right.

“The first thing the Lord says is, ‘What is our greatest commandment? It is to love one another as I love you.’” said O’Brien. “I love this opposing group. I love all diversity. I love all people. I also love the Word.

“I believe they have the right, but I believe, as a Christian, I also have the right to state my view. I also have a right for the majority of the people and what their views are.”

EVPL CEO Cyndee Landrum applauds all sides of the issue and believes the civil protest is good for the community.

“It’s actually good we have people who are here that are for and people who maybe have a different opinion,” said Landrum. “This is an act in civic engagement and civic engagement is very important.”

Jennifer Yaser is running for City Council 5th Ward and was on hand to show her support for the reading program.

“This, at its core is the children’s literacy program,” said Yaser. “I am all for diverse and inclusive literacy programs. I really don’t understand all the controversy surrounding it because I believe it’s more fearful to see the children see this hateful rhetoric and the protesting, as opposed to going in there and seeing someone dressed up reading.”

Christopher Brown brought his 11-year old daughter and nine-year-old son to the library and says he wants his kids to learn that hate has no place in the world.

“This is definitely a great way to think out of the box,” said Brown. “I definitely applaud the public library system and the people over it that put this together.

“It puts out a good public image for this community, for the LGBT. I have a couple siblings that are in that and it provides a sense of openness … and I definitely appreciate and applaud that.”

Evansville Police were on hand with 26 officers keeping the peace. No arrests were reported but a number of times officers had to remind each side to respect the other’s space.

“Whenever you have two different factions that are very passionate about their sides, you have to make sure that you put adequate number of personnel to address a potential problem,” said Captain Andy Chandler. “That’s what we did. We wanted to make sure that we had a good showing here.

“We have had to ask some of the people to maintain some distance between the groups. We’ve got two different groups with a lot of passion and strong personalities.”

According to Landrum, there are no current plans to hold any further Drag Queen Story Hours, but noted it would be something they would consider.

“It’s always a possibility,” she said. “We don’t have anything on the calendar at this point. I know at last count there were 156 people that couldn’t get in and we’ll take all that into consideration when we do a program evaluation and see what happens next.”