Bistro pays tribute to Pulse Nightclub victims on anniversary

Posted on June 12, 2017
More than 100 patrons came out to the Bistro on Monday Evening to remember those lost in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. (Photo Courtesy Nick McClintock, WJBC)

By Nick McClintock

BLOOMINGTON- Members of the community showed up in large numbers Monday evening, in downtown’s only ‘gay bar’, to show support for the LGBTQ community.

On the one year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, a short memorial program was put on by the Bistro in Bloomington. Bar owner Jan Lancaster has operated the bar for over 25 years, and says it’s important to keep fighting for equal treatment in the LGBTQ community. “We continue to work towards marriage equality, really equality in general.” Lancaster said. “So when you have an event like what happened in Orlando touches a part of our community, we have to make people aware that they are in a safe environment.”

Lancaster said last year in the hours after the tragedy, a walk was planned to show solidarity with those affected by the shooting. Around 400 people came out for that walk in downtown Bloomington.   This year, the Prairie Pride Coalition has released a directory of inclusive businesses, and Lancaster said today would be a good time to roll that out. “We thought it would be a good way to combine a short memorial with the release of the directory.”

The memorial program was hosted at the Bistro had featured a short speech from Mayor Tari Renner, who championed Bloomington’s history of leading the way for gay rights.

More information of the LGBTQ Friendly Directory can be found HERE.

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