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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2002)
june 7.2002 * Jnaft M tfp 3 On a queer day... P ut on your finest social face and dazzling outfit because it’s time for Portland Pride, the annual event that allows the sexual minorities community to bask in its stun ning collective glory. Created under the theme “On a Queer D ay...” the festival rapidly is coming together, says Jack Keegan, Pride Northwest board president. Portland Pride 2002 officially kicks off June 14 with the Rainbow Ball, a disco dance at the Crystal Ballroom. The highlight, of course, will be the always-popular and some- times-breathtaking parade June 16. Throughout the weekend Waterfront Park will be filled with booths featuring food, crafts, information and much more. Keegan also promises the entertainment will he “bet ter than ever.” For the first time Portland Pride 2002 will feature a large children’s garden sponsored by And Baby magazine for kids of gay and lesbian parents. Activities will include balloons, story- Portland Pride gets a facelift by Senior housing group will show Pride S enior Housing and Retirement Enterpris es: A G LB T Coalition will share a booth with the Lesbian Community Project dur ing Portland Pride 2002. A brochure will be available so people can leam more about the organization. SH A R E also would like for Pride attendees to take a small amount of their time— about 20 minutes— to complete a senior housing survey or to provide their address so they can be sent one through the mail. For more information call 503-286-3575. I T om S t ev en so n book readings and tables for arts and crafts. The area will be secluded and declared “alcohol- and smoke-free.” The two most noticeable changes, however, might be the ones that spark a little bit of controversy. The Pride board has decided to ask for a $3 donation at the gate to help defer some of the costs, and a fence will be placed around the entire venue. The board also slightly raised the fees for a few booths to help defray an increase in the cost of the city park permit. According to Keegan, it is simply a matter of economics. “The event gets more expensive every year,” he says. “Our budget this Budget and security concerns led to several changes this year, according to Jack Keegan year is in the neighborhood of large events in Waterfront Park are now $80,000, and while we are grateful to our fenced,” he adds. “Security measures have corporate sponsors...they don’t pay for the increased everywhere, and we wanted to do whole event.” so as well. This is a decision that has some The new fence comes as a result of a need history to it. We started discussing it two for added safety, a move Keegan says the Port years ago after we had some very disruptive land Police Bureau has been advocating for a protesters on the festival site. A t the time, number of years. we were told that unless our event was “T he park bureau is also happy with our fenced, we couldn’t remove the protesters decision and told us that all of the other from the grounds. T his led to discussions of general safety, and we decided that we were ready this year.” Another major change is that the board has established a new cleanup policy. Keegan says most organizations are “very responsible" about tidying up the area around their booth after the event, but some are not. He notes that the city charges the group sponsoring the event if the work is not done properly, so the board decided to fine vendors $25 if they do not clean up afterward. Pride Northwest had hoped to have a new event coordinator on hand this year to help with the day-to-day activities that come with putting on such a huge festival. But soon after they hired one, she took another job, which means the volunteers (the vast majority of which also hold down full-time jobs) are run ning the whole show again. Keegan says the hope is that an event coordinator will be hired in time for the 2003 festival. In the meantime, organizers desperately need at least 150 volunteers to work on all facets of Portland Pride 2002. Several shifts are available to cover the stage, parade, festi val and security. “It takes a great number of hands to make the event happen,” Keegan says. “We also need some folks to think about making a com mitment to becoming committee chairs or board members. Once Pride 2002 is over, we are going to be thinking about increasing our board and really developing our committee structure, and we need long-term, committed folks for that to happen.” J H To volunteer contact PRIDE NORTHWEST at 503'295'9788 or fnidenorthwest@usa.net. We’re Your Home & Loan Team! Call Today for a Free Consultation! 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