A vote to cancel the upcoming Rainbow Festival in Orange has been confirmed.
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Slated to run over three days from March 22, the planned event aims to recognise and engage LGBTQIA+ residents through a range of activities.
A motion to pull all support and funding was revealed by councillor Kevin Duffy this week. The vote will take place on Tuesday night.
"I don't want any part of it," he told the Central Western Daily.
"Council shouldn't be involved in ideologies ... if my motion is successful, there won't be any festival. It will be canned."
It follows a weeks-long campaign by the Orange Christian Alliance. About a dozen members have attended the last two council meetings to protest.
Organisation spokesperson Kris Dhillon declined an invitation to speak to the CWD about its campaign.
In a statement sent by email, she said the inclusion of a "drag storytime" reading for children is central to their opposition.
Efforts to cancel the festival - which is funded through a state government grant - has sparked fierce pushback from some.
"It would definitely be a step backwards and I think there is a real need for young people to have a voice," a spokesperson for mental health organisation Headspace Orange said.
"The event going ahead is what signifies the ... community's commitment to inclusivity and diversity within Orange. [It's important to be] able to show representation for many young people."
Council papers suggest cancellation would increase cost for ratepayers, as entertainers have already been booked and the existing government grant would be cancelled.
"The group is using Christianity as their defence, but do not represent Christians as a whole - I'm a Christian," Cr Mel McDonell told the CWD.
"The stuff they're saying is incredibly dangerous and filled with hatred and lies. That's not what Orange is about, that's not our community."
Cr McDonell said the proposed drag storytime event would be "age appropriate" and about kindness.
"There's nothing in there about gender, sex changes ... or any of that. It's just about accepting people for who they are even if they're different from you."