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!
Elise Campbell
Graduate, Realtor Institute
Accredited Buyer Representative, Million Dollar Club
503 296-3875
-
Pager: 503-942-1288
i® 51 b e n d e r ,
office: 503-233-4363 iBI properties
Email: Elise@ Realtor.com
Web: w w w .E lis e C a m p b e ll.c o m
Christine Hall
a
Senior Loan Consultant
President's Club Member
„ 503 698-5429
with a glass
of wine in the
rock garden patio
of your local
FAMILY winery
11 am-8pm Saturday June 15th
-
Regularly Open
Thurs-Sun l -6pm
Toll Free: 800-343-9943
M ORTGAGE:
Pager: 503-301-1941
Email: h a llc @ e a g le h o m e m o rtg a g e .c o m
Just South of Holgate
Visit Our Booth at Pride!
503 753*6374
*
4510 SE 23rd • Portland, Oregon 97202