It was standing room only in the Ashtabula city council meeting. Some members of the community asked the board to rescind the permit for the Pride celebration at a public area of Walnut Beach. The reasoning behind it: because of a drag performance, that they said isn't suitable for children under 18. Also, they said that the performance would go against the code for the city. 

“. . . talk about some of these ordinances and laws that are in Ohio that prohibit these types of events in public from going on. I think it's important that they know that, and that we step up and protect our children from events like this that want to bring into the public eye, that really need to be kept in private bars and places like that,” the Pastor for First Community Church of God Jeff Combs said.

Allies and members of the LGBTQ + community also spoke saying that the event is family friendly, and the content in drag shows is catered to the audience. Those in support of the pride festival say pride is a celebration of connection.   

“I think it’s really really important that people find connections and like-minded souls, and so, if you’re not a fan of Pride and what Pride stands for, don’t go to Pride festival. Stopping other people from doing that is un-American," one ally, Matt Butler from Ashtabula County said.

Another person in support of the festival said that the conflict she believes is an unawareness about what the festival is about. 

“I think the conflict represents people not knowing what the LGBTQ community is, and that we are people just like everybody else. We want to be entertained and we want to be connected to people that are like us,” Shannan Farmer from Conneaut, OH said.