37th annual event hits SF this weekend

Get ready for nonstop music, marching bands, gay choruses, and of course, the hundreds of motorcycles that will converge on Market Street in downtown San Francisco Sunday, June 24 for the 37th annual LGBT Pride Parade.

Drag queens, drag kings, bicyclists, athletes, bears, leather folk, those living with HIV/AIDS, and all manner of LGBT people and straight allies will march up Market Street during the world-famous parade. Joining them will be celebrity grand marshal Doug Spearman of Noah's Arc , joined by the Logo show's creator Patrik-Ian Polk and co-stars Darryl Stephens and Wilson Cruz; lifetime achievement community grand marshal Pat Norman; community grand marshals Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, John Newsome, Page Hodel, Robert Haaland, Dolores Caruthers and Laura Espinosa, and the Rainbow World Fund; local and state elected officials; and up to 200 parade contingents demonstrating the diversity of the LGBT community.

The Pride Parade, under the theme "Pride Not Prejudice," steps off at Market and Beale streets with the roar of Dykes on Bikes at 10:30 a.m. and will end at 8th and Market streets near Civic Center.

The Pride celebration and festival in Civic Center, which also takes place Saturday, June 23 from noon to 6 p.m., will be open Sunday from noon to 7. A $5 donation is requested.

"I want people to have the time of their life and a meaningful and memorable experience," said Pride Executive Director Lindsey Jones, who told the Bay Area Reporter that there would be "a lot to experience" with 20 entertainment stages. "There are surprises and treats around every corner!"

"I'm hoping that they have fun and I hope that Pride encourages them to be active year-round," said Pride board President Mikayla Connell.

Jones added, "My hope is that through their experience at this event people will feel connected to their community, to their rights, to their struggles, to their power, to their civil rights movement. I also hope that people celebrate their uniqueness and authenticity and completely and fully let go of – for even this short time – any shame, negativity or self-hatred that can be so difficult to

A participant in last year's parade. Photo: Jane Philomen Cleland

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend this year's two-day Pride celebration. Celebrants will be able to enjoy a host of events, entertainment, food, and fun throughout the weekend.

An estimated 850 million people around the world with Internet access will be able to watch the parade live for the first time. Webcasts are on Clear Channel's LGBT network at www.ShakeRadio.com and on KRON 4 at www.kron4.com. This year Pride broadened its exposure with a new two-hour live broadcast on Comcast's digital cable channel 99. Individuals without access to digital cable will be able to view an edited version of the parade on Pride Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m. on KRON 4. As reported in last week's Bay Area Reporter, KRON determined it could not air the live broadcast this year because of concerns over its license renewal by the Federal Communications Commission. [See http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=1909.]

Volunteers from numerous community organizations will staff entrance gates around Civic Center. According to Jones, Pride expects to gather an estimated $125,000 to $150,000 this year to support 66 community organizations, including AIDS/HIV services, community centers, health centers, churches, youth groups, sports groups, and other agencies, through the Community Partners program.

Community leaders will take the main stage to speak out on current issues facing the queer community. The Black Coalition on AIDS' Jonathan Batiste will address the Ryan White CARE Act funding cuts; gender identity activist Marcus Arana will speak about transgender rights; and grand marshal Eric Alva will speak about the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

The Bay Area alternative rock band Pansy Division, Styx bass player Chuck Panozzo, Hairspray star Nikki Blonsky, and others will rock the main stage.

Lynn Breedlove, former lead singer of the San Francisco-based dyke punk rock band Tribe 8 and now tranny comedian, will perform at the Tranny stage. Deep Dick Collective, the homo hip-hop band will perform at the Soul of Pride African American stage, and singer Jasmine Trias will perform at the Asian and Pacific Islander stage.

Other stages include the Fag Fridays dance area, Latin stage, Nectarena women's stage, Tantra Trance stage, Leather Alley, Faerie Freedom Village, Outword Writers Village, Shadowplay stage, Sundance country western stage, Swingout swing stage, Family Garden, queer youth space, elder space, and the clean and sober space.

Other Pride-related events include:

A lesbian photographers salon today (Thursday, June 21) at 5 p.m. at the San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street. Meet lesbian photographers and learn about the ways they create images and why they pursue careers in photography.

The 29th annual Pride Concert, "Here's Where I Stand," today (Thursday, June 21) and Friday, June 22, features the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, and the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band with the GLAM Youth Choir and Voices Lesbian Choral Ensemble. The concert is at 8 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1187 Franklin Street. Tickets start at $20.

From now through August 31, an exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of when Alice B. Toklas first met Gertrude Stein is on display at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street in San Francisco. The exhibit, "Gertrude and Alice: 100 Years, 100 Roses" is from the collection of Hans Gallas. For information, visit http://www.jccsf.org or call (415) 292-1200. Admission is free.

On Saturday, June 23, the LGBT Youth Ball for queer youth and their allies over 18 takes place at Club Fantastic, 601 Cesar Chavez Avenue. Admission is $10 before 9 p.m. and $15 after 9.

A complete listing of activities is available in the Inside Pride magazine that is free at locations throughout the city or at http://www.sfpride.org.