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Fest keeps Knysna in the pink
06/05/2008 09:24 - (SA)
Tisha Steyn, Die Burger
Knysna - Despite a campaign against the eighth Pink Loerie Mardi Gras, the latest festival was described as the biggest and best yet.
Festival head organiser Juan Lerm said on Monday: "There were about 20 000 people during the four days.
"It was as if they had shown up from near and far in protest at the campaign."
Pastor Jerome Nel of the Garden Route Christian Centre handed a petition to Mayor Eleanor Bouw-Spies during a march in which about 400 people took part.
The petition objected to the festival and demanded that an opinion poll be held.
Bouw-Spies undertook to conduct a "perception survey".
Objecting church members also began an extended e-mail campaign against the festival.
Because of this pressure, considerably fewer shops were decorated in pink this year.
Pink money is welcomed
Lerm said: "They probably were scared that their businesses would be boycotted after the festival.
"Pink money is welcomed all year round, but not at festival time.
"Gay people put in petrol, eat, send faxes and buy pink cloth at the material shop. It's money rolling into town."
He said that accommodation was extremely scarce.
Bouw-Spies said: "We phoned between 15 and 20 guest houses on Saturday to try to find accommodation for three people, but nothing was available."
Knysna Tourism Board chairperson Mike Griffiths said: "There were definitely more people than last year, but I think 20 000 is a bit too high of an estimate."
He said about 5 000 people attended the festival and brought essential business to the town.
It was estimated that festival goers brought a few million rands worth of business to Knysna.
"Several business people phoned this morning to say they had good business."
Lerm said the festival had three goals - to entice visitors to the town, to celebrate the gay way of life and the country's constitution which was one of the most "gay-friendly" in the world, and to cultivate understanding for homosexual people.
"We want to show people that it's okay to be near a gay person - you won't pick up any diseases."
Pastor Dave Hall of the Knysna Christian Centre said on Monday that he was satisfied with the effect of the campaign against the festival.
'Not that big a crowd'
Hall was sceptical about the alleged large numbers of visitors and the estimated income.
Nel was in hospital on Monday and could not comment.
Hall said: "The perceptions, which are purposely created, and the totals can't be checked.
"There weren't nearly that many people and many were regular weekend visitors. There are always families here at long weekends.
"We don't have anything against gay individuals, but rather against the way they parade their sexuality in public and in front of children," said Hall.
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South Africa
