Out in Eureka's 2026 Diversity Weekend dates
- by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief
“Diversity Weekends matter because visibility matters,” Ethan Avanzino, Vice President of Out in Eureka, told The Gayly. “When other queer people come here and see a whole community showing up proudly, they realize they’re not alone.”
Avanzino also said that when parents bring their queer kids to Diversity Weekends, they get to see something powerful.
“They see that their kids have a future, a community, and a place where they’re celebrated. And for visitors from places where they don’t see openly queer people in daily life, Diversity Weekend gives them a glimpse of who we are and reminds them that we exist everywhere, not just in big cities or online.
Ethan and David Avanzino have owned Eureka’s Wanderoo Lodge and Gravel Bar for five years and host many of the events held during Diversity Weekend.
Out in Eureka is a non-profit organization that has held Diversity Weekend in Eureka Springs for many years. The organization rebranded and reorganized last year and continues to host a Spring and Fall Diversity Weekend event for people in the South-Central region to come together and celebrate their diversity.
Other board members include Teri Wolfenbarger, Morgan Haney, Rigdon Irvin, and Wendy Reese Hartmann. The organization will be adjusting some of these members’ roles in January, but Avanzino will remain as VP. Roles will be announced later this month. You can keep up with their roles at www.outineureka.org/our-team.
Avanzino shared his favorite memory from a recent Diversity Weekend.
“My favorite memory was when my mom came to her first drag show,” Avanzino shared. “She was so nervous because she didn’t know what to expect. She told me she wanted to sit in the corner and just observe, so I got her a seat tucked away, as she asked.
“When I performed my number, she completely forgot about being discreet,” he added. “At the end, she jumped out of her seat and ran straight to the middle of the dance floor to hug me. So much for being hidden lol. It made me so proud to see her come out of her shell like that.”
Out in Eureka helps build an inclusive community for LGBTQ+ people in the area and hosts Diversity Weekends. Throughout the year, they host entertaining and educational events that celebrate diversity, promote acceptance, and foster a sense of belonging. For information about Diversity Weekends, visit www.outineureka.org.
Spring Diversity 2026 will be April 3-5, featuring entertainer Adam Mac. The event will be a dual fundraiser for Out in Eureka and Safe To Be. The two non-profits will split the proceeds.
Safe To Be is a non-profit that supports romantic and gender-diverse people in need of emergency, transitional, and permanent housing. "They are building a second home starting in 2026, so this’ll hopefully be an amazing boost." (www.safetobe.org)
Adam Mac will headline at the Auditorium on April 3
The event will be a dual fundraiser for Out in Eureka and Safe To Be!
Adam Mac (http://www.adammacmusic.com) will be headlining on 4/3 at The Auditorium!
Adam Mac is like no one else you know. A true Southern Spectacle and one of queer country’s leading voices, the inspiring singer-songwriter is brave enough to be himself truly – and help others do the same. His third album, Southern Spectacle, is a loud-and-proud soundtrack for those who break the mold, mixing the joyful energy of pop and funk with a down-home heart (because nobody is just one thing).
Raised in Russellville, Kentucky, Mac grew up a farm-and-church kid, loving The Spice Girls and Shania Twain, whose nonstop singing soon moved from the bedroom to Sunday services and talent shows. By 22, he had moved to Nashville to write songs he thought the mainstream would accept, but by his own admission, nearly 10 years of struggle led nowhere – until he realized he was doing “three chords and the truth” all wrong. Fusing vocal soul with a danceable country-funk mix (and the full fabulousness of his personality), 2023’s breakout hit “Disco Cowboy” set Mac free. The rapturous music video held the #1 spot on CMT’s 12-Pack Countdown for four weeks, leading to a whole album of the same name and a Pandora’s box of conversations.
After protestors forced Mac to cancel a hometown performance, waves of supporters joined his cause, including Kelsey Ballerini and Maren Morris, who invited Mac to open her Lunatic Tour in Chicago. The national media also took notice, with Mac’s music hailed by Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, Out, GLAAD, and PEOPLE, calling Mac “country music’s very own Elton John.” Southern Spectacle is the end result – a definitive intersection of country music and queer identity.
The Gayly online. 1/25/26 @ 4:31 p.m. CST.