Ames Pride will throw a block party in association with Big Wigs Bar in lieu of the cancellation of Pridefest as a result of COVID-19.

The planning for Ames Pridefest begins every year in the winter, which meant Ames Pride was unable to schedule Pridefest due to the conditions of COVID-19 in January 2022.

“When we first opened last year, I reached out to [Ames Pride] about what they were doing for Pride this year, and because COVID was still going on, they decided they weren’t going to anything for Pride this year as far as a festival,” said Vanessa Taylor, owner of Big Wigs Bar. “I said ‘Well that changes my whole conversation, then, because I still want to do something in our parking lot.’”

According to Ames Pride, “because of changes with COVID, we were able to plan for a fall event in the absence of a festival.”

“I want to put this [Block Party] on because something like this has not been done in Ames at a bar,” Taylor said.

The “Ames Pride Presents: Big Wigs Block Party” will occur from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday at the Big Wigs Bar parking lot located at 6008 W. Lincoln Way.

Tickets for admission to the block party cost $20. People under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by an adult.

Ames Pride and Big Wigs are set to provide a free block party shuttle which will run from 5 p.m. until midnight. The shuttle will run every 30 minutes from McFarland Clinic West Ames at 3600 Lincoln Way to the venue.

The block party will begin at 5 p.m. featuring food for sale by Hungry Boys Taqueria and homemade ice cream by Marmalade Moon. There will also be time to check out Big Wigs Bar and Nightclub.

“People that haven’t been here yet will get the opportunity to see the venue and have a good time,” Taylor said.

Leslie Hall, a local youtube sensation, will perform at 7 p.m. as the opening act for 80’s pop superstar Tiffany, who will put on a concert and meet-and-greet at 8 p.m.

A ticket will also get you into a drag show after the Block Party.

Tickets can be purchased up to the day of the event through Eventbrite.
To learn more about the event, visit the Ames Pride website.