Pets trump non-profits at KC Pride

Sprawling across the lawn at Liberty Memorial this weekend, Kansas City Gay Pride is billed as the community’s biggest celebration of the year. For some organizations, though, being part of the free festival is tough on their pocketbooks.

Show Me Pride LLC, a for-profit corporation that runs the event, charges exhibitors that hawk their merchandise and community groups that promote their causes to the thousands of visitors over the three-day event. And it ain’t cheap. Non-profits have to pay at least $500 for a table space; small businesses $700 and large corporations $1,000.

But there’s one exception.