Latest news with #OldStateSaloon
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Idahoans rejected the straight white pride festival. Now vote like it
Mark Fitzpatrick, the owner of the Old State Saloon in Eagle, Idaho, is no stranger to culture-war marketing stunts. A former California reserve police officer turned real estate agent and bar owner, Fitzpatrick has built a reputation around performative outrage packaged as patriotism. His events include 'Beer for Breeders,' anti-vaccine Christian singles nights and constitutional Bible study at the bar. But in June, Fitzpatrick escalated his campaign of provocation with what he called the 'Hetero Awesomeness Festival.' Promoted as a celebration of traditional family values, the event functioned as a thinly veiled 'Straight White Pride' rally — one that Fitzpatrick hoped would attract national attention, help boost revenue at his bar and solidify his standing in Idaho's far-right political machine. Dozens of people attended the festival in Boise across from the Idaho Capitol. The event was heavily promoted on X (formerly Twitter) for months by fringe influencers and far-right personalities. But despite the hype, Idahoans quietly rejected the entire spectacle. Hardly anyone showed up. The event featured militia-style attendees carrying rifles around children who were playing on bounce houses. At one point, a party-crashing performer singing a pro-LGBTQ+ song was kicked off the stage by Fitzpatrick himself. During the festival, Fitzpatrick was broadcasting live on The Backlash podcast, hosted by Dave Reilly, a white supremacist with a long history of racist and antisemitic rhetoric. During the live broadcast, Reilly praised Boise for not having 'any blacks,' an overtly racist statement suggesting that Black people make cities undesirable. Fitzpatrick sat beside him, and his grin grew wider as Reilly dropped that racist comment. He did not cut the feed, object or distance himself during the event. Reilly's audience — openly antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ+ and steeped in white grievance politics — is the audience Fitzpatrick welcomes at his bar. Only after vendors started disavowing Reilly over his racism did Fitzpatrick attempt to distance himself from Reilly's remark. He knows what Reilly is, and only when he got called out for it did he make a disingenuous effort to distance himself. The most disappointing part of the festival wasn't the spectacle itself, but the people who chose to align with it. Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon, the Idaho Freedom Foundation (which had a booth at the event) and multiple IFF-aligned legislators supported or promoted the festival. Some have regularly appeared at Old State Saloon events as well. This is the same pattern seen with Ammon Bundy, an out-of-state agitator who came to Idaho to build a platform by sowing division and lies. The IFF embraced Bundy when it suited them and dropped him when the lawsuits came. Fitzpatrick is following the same trajectory, and the IFF machine is once again complicit in this. Idaho Republican legislators and far-right propagandists eagerly supported Fitzpatrick's 'Straight Pride' event at a gathering the night before. Not one of them has disavowed Reilly's racist comments. Just like they did with Ammon Bundy, Idaho's far right will cling to any grifter who builds an audience. The failure of the 'Straight White Pride' event is proof that X's engagement numbers do not reflect real-world support. Fitzpatrick and his allies banked on the amplification of influencers to fill the park. But X is not real life. It is inflated by bots, anti-American foreign actors and echo chambers that create the illusion of momentum. Legislators who buy into this illusion are chasing ghosts. View counts do not equate to real people, and Fitzpatrick's failed festival just proved it. Idahoans were smart enough to reject Fitzpatrick's hate-fueled grift. Now it's time to reject the politicians who align themselves with these far-right influencers, amplify their messages and pretend to represent the people of Idaho. They don't. They represent self-serving organizations like the IFF and their own ambition, hoping that you'll ignore their bad behavior and re-elect them next year. Gregory Graf is a lifelong Republican, political consultant and creator of and .
Associated Press
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Old State Saloon Celebrates 2nd Annual Heterosexual Awesomeness Month with Special Drinks, Events, and Hetero Awesome Fest
EAGLE, Idaho, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Old State Saloon is thrilled to announce its 2nd Annual Heterosexual Awesomeness Month, a month-long celebration of heterosexuality throughout June 2025. Following the resounding success of last year's inaugural event, owner Mark Fitzpatrick is carrying forward the tradition to honor 'God's design for sexuality.' As Fitzpatrick proudly states, 'If it weren't for heteros, none of us would be here, and we're here to celebrate that truth with good drinks, great people, and a whole lot of fun.' Throughout June, Old State Saloon will offer a lineup of special drinks celebrating heterosexuality, including the Brojito, Baby Maker Mimosa, Tetten Russian, and Alpha Mule. The month will feature themed days to keep the party going: Special events include Hetero Merch Parties with exclusive discounts, a June 7th International Procreation Day Celebration, and a June 14th President Trump Huuuge Heterosexual Birthday Party. The saloon will host internet influencers, sports personalities, and media figures throughout the month, with more details to be announced. In a groundbreaking expansion, Old State Saloon is partnering with the nonprofit 501(c)(3) Heterosexual Awesomeness Inc. to present the first-ever Hetero Awesome Fest on June 20-21, 2025, at Cecil D. Andrus Park in downtown Boise, directly across from the Idaho State Capitol building. This two-day festival will feature live music, massive free Kids Zone food trucks, ice-cold beer, bold wines, and speeches from prominent voices defending traditional family values. Booths from family-owned businesses and like-minded supporters will showcase their offerings, creating a vibrant celebration of faith, family, and freedom. The event is described as 'a celebration of family values with guts,' aiming to honor God's design and stand firm against anti-family cultural trends. Hetero Awesome Fest is still seeking sponsors and has vendor booth space availability for businesses eager to align with the event's mission and reach a passionate audience. Interested parties can check out: or contact [email protected] for details on sponsorship packages and vendor opportunities. 'All are welcome to join us at Old State Saloon and Hetero Awesome Fest to celebrate heterosexuality—unless you're acting like an idiot,' Fitzpatrick says with a grin. 'This is about coming together, having a good time, and standing up for what's right.' Old State Saloon and Heterosexual Awesomeness Inc. invite everyone to join the celebration, enjoy the festivities, and support a movement that champions traditional values. Stay tuned for updates on special guests and additional events at and About Old State Saloon Located in Eagle, Idaho, Old State Saloon serves as a community gathering place, recognized for its emphasis on traditional values and vibrant atmosphere. Owned by Mark Fitzpatrick, the saloon hosts events and offerings that highlight themes of faith, family, and freedom. About Heterosexual Awesomeness Inc. Heterosexual Awesomeness Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to uphold and promote traditional family values. Through events like Hetero Awesome Fest, the organization aims to rally supporters and counter cultural narratives that are detrimental to the core of society. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Old State Saloon
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Idaho bar to host 'Hetero Awesome Fest' during Pride Month
The owner of a bar in Idaho has announced his plans for a "Hetero Awesome Fest" this June to counter LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Sign up for the to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment — delivered three times a week straight (well…) to your inbox! The Old State Saloon bar is in Eagle, a suburb of Idaho's capital city, Boise. Its owner, Mark Fitzpatrick, announced a new event called "Hetero Awesome Fest" to take place this June with the goal to "address concerns about cultural trends influenced by liberal progressivism," per NBC News. Last year, the Old State Saloon announced its "inaugural Heterosexual Awesomeness Month," which included "Hetero Male Mondays." These events promised that "any heterosexual male dressed like a heterosexual male will receive a free draft beer." Wednesdays also became "Heterosexual Couples Day," where heterosexual couples received 15 percent off their bill, per a previous NBC News story. Fitzpatrick has told local news stations that Heterosexual Awesomeness Month was a response to Pride Month "getting so extreme." He specifically mentioned "the imagery that you see all month with parades, and getting to the point of nakedness, and things with people walking down the street, I can't get behind that." Fitzpatrick also told NBC that he hasn't ever actually been to Boise during a Pride event. Now, Fitzpatrick's plans have grown. This year's Hetero Awesome Fest has been scheduled for "two action packed days," June 20 and 21, in Cecil D. Andrus Park (named for a Democratic Idaho governor). Overall, the festival will feature music from bands "that share our vision," food and drinks, vendors, and speakers "who are on the front lines defending traditional family values," according to the event's social media pages. "This festival is more than just an event; it's a declaration that faith, family, and freedom are worth protecting," the video says. "The Hetero Awesome Fest and Heterosexual Awesomeness Month aim to celebrate the traditional family unit and address concerns about cultural trends influenced by liberal progressivism," Fitzpatrick, who has owned the bar for two years, wrote in an email. "Our event is not about targeting any group but about raising awareness of practices we find troubling, such as the encouragement of 'gender transitions' among children or their exposure to inappropriate content." Fitzpatrick has also announced that he launched a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, called Heterosexual Awesomeness, "to celebrate traditional family values and combat the woke mind virus." "What if we celebrated God's design for sexuality? What would that look like? And within a few minutes, I had thought, 'Man, heterosexuality is awesome,'" Fitzpatrick says in a video posted to Instagram. The bar's official Instagram page also features videos talking about "detransitioners," as well as many clips of people promoting debunked conspiracy theories, including "Pizzagate," discourse about the 9/11 attacks, and even content arguing that the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel were "False Flag" events. This story is still developing…
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Hetero Awesome Fest' to be held near Idaho Capitol during Pride
The owner of a bar and restaurant in Idaho says he plans to host a 'Hetero Awesome Fest' near the state Capitol in June to coincide with Pride Month for the LGBTQ Mark Fitzpatrick, the owner of the Old State Saloon outside of Boise, said the two-day festival in Cecil D. Andrus Park was inspired by events held last year in response to Pride celebrations. The festival will be held June 20 and 21 across the street from the Capitol. It was first reported by NBC News on Tuesday. 'Heterosexual Awesomness Festival is coming to Boise. This isn't just another festival. It's a movement, a celebration of faith, family and freedom, right in the heart of Idaho,' a narrator says over a video on the event's Instagram page. Fitzpatrick told NBC last year after his 'Heterosexual Awesomeness Month,' that there was no hate involved in the planning of his events. In a recent video shared online, he said he didn't 'set out to be negative' about other people, he was wanting to 'celebrate what God's design was.' He told NBC that the festival was not about 'targeting any group' but instead about raising awareness for 'practices we find troubling, such as the encouragement of 'gender transitions' among children or their exposure of inappropriate content.' While Fitzpatrick has said the festival isn't about hate for the LGBTQ community, his restaurant and bar account said the LGBTQ agenda is 'wicked, perverse, and victimizes children.' Fiztpatrick said in a video online that he was inspired to create the June events when he and his family were discussing how to spend his daughter's birthday last year. He said they could not go to downtown Boise, where Pride events were held. 'I was thinking to myself, 'What could we do to celebrate in June that would be different than what's going on downtown? Can we be different than what Pride has been celebrating every June? What if we celebrated God's design for sexuality? What would that look like?' And within a few seconds, I thought, 'Man, heterosexuality is awesome.'' Pride Month organizers in Boise have not held events in June since 2020. Events are now held in September after organizers opted for better weather and due to COVID-19 pandemic precautions at the time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
‘Hetero Awesome Fest' to be held near Idaho Capitol during Pride
The owner of a bar and restaurant in Idaho says he plans to host a 'Hetero Awesome Fest' near the state Capitol in June to coincide with Pride Month for the LGBTQ Mark Fitzpatrick, the owner of the Old State Saloon outside of Boise, said the two-day festival in Cecil D. Andrus Park was inspired by events held last year in response to Pride celebrations. The festival will be held June 20 and 21 across the street from the Capitol. It was first reported by NBC News on Tuesday. 'Heterosexual Awesomness Festival is coming to Boise. This isn't just another festival. It's a movement, a celebration of faith, family and freedom, right in the heart of Idaho,' a narrator says over a video on the event's Instagram page. Fitzpatrick told NBC last year after his 'Heterosexual Awesomeness Month,' that there was no hate involved in the planning of his events. In a recent video shared online, he said he didn't 'set out to be negative' about other people, he was wanting to 'celebrate what God's design was.' He told NBC that the festival was not about 'targeting any group' but instead about raising awareness for 'practices we find troubling, such as the encouragement of 'gender transitions' among children or their exposure of inappropriate content.' While Fitzpatrick has said the festival isn't about hate for the LGBTQ community, his restaurant and bar account said the LGBTQ agenda is 'wicked, perverse, and victimizes children.' Fiztpatrick said in a video online that he was inspired to create the June events when he and his family were discussing how to spend his daughter's birthday last year. He said they could not go to downtown Boise, where Pride events were held. 'I was thinking to myself, 'What could we do to celebrate in June that would be different than what's going on downtown? Can we be different than what Pride has been celebrating every June? What if we celebrated God's design for sexuality? What would that look like?' And within a few seconds, I thought, 'Man, heterosexuality is awesome.'' Pride Month organizers in Boise have not held events in June since 2020. Events are now held in September after organizers opted for better weather and due to COVID-19 pandemic precautions at the time.
