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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2004)
I i 'I' jü i 4-1 m e w s fter 18 years of fun in the sun, the curtain is closing on Peacock in .¿ rr~r% the Park. T h e colorful and festive 2 0 0 4 w ill be Peacock in the Park's swan song ■iw drag revue, which is held every summer at W ashington Park A m phitheater to by Jim R ad o sta raise money for queer students, has grown t(x> large for the venue and has become too expen sive to remain profitable. As a result, this year’s Adding to the expenses event will he its last. are the three shuttles, eight Peacock Productions Inc. cites financial con portable sinks and 18 portable toilets that are cerns as the primary reason for the decision, which was made Feb. 7. According to board sec rented for the festivities. retary Kimberlee Van Patten, last year’s expens Some suggested moving the es topped out at more than $20,000, leaving a event to Waterfront Park, net profit of about $7,000. which plays host to Port land Pride two weeks prior “The straw that broke the camel’s back was when we got our bill from the parks bureau, to Peaaxrk, but organizers which was nearly $2,500 just for the park per rejected the proposal. mit,” she says. “In looking at our overall picture, “Shortly after Pea- we just decided that we’re spending tcxi much to ccKk’s death, we sprinkled make too little.” her ashes at the park, and Peacock has grown exponentially since it was so she is in the park, and established in 1987 by Rose Empress XXIX Lady we have no desire whatso Elaine Peacock. In the early ever to Darcelle XV performs “T he Cell Block Tango” from the musical years, park permits cost just $5, move the Chicago during Peacock in the Park 2003 "In looking at our and the event attracted about event to 800 people; tixlay, an audience of overall picture, another venue because of that," have a queer parent. Several events will be held almost 4,000 has the am phi Van Patten says. “There’s just throughout the year at Darcelle XV, 208 N.W. we just decided that things that you have to do in try Third Ave., to continue collecting cash for the theater bursting at the seams. "There’s limitations to what ing to carry on the legacy of a fund: a Medieval Feast in January, an all-ages we're spending the park can support,” Van Pat person who’s passed on. This was show March 17 and a Cinco de Mayo celebra too much to make ten says. "There’s not enough her dream.” tion May 2. room for everybody to sit The event raises money for The scholarship has granted more than too little" dow n...for people to move the Audria M. Edwards Scholar $118,000 since its inception. Van Patten cited around freely...for all the cars — Kimberlee Van Patten ship, which was named after several people whose lives have been signifi that need to he parked up there Peactxk’s mother and is avail cantly affected as a result: during that event, so we have cars.. .causing able for students living in Oregon or Southwest • Beth Allen, a 1994 scholarship recipient, congestion in the neighborhixxL” Washington who are gay, lesbian, bi or trans or is now a practicing lawyer in Portland. T his B ird H as F lown • Miriam Volpin, who received three schol arships betw een 2001 and 2003, recently received her registered nurse’s license. • Kelly Hoeppner, who makes clothing and tapestry, now donates her sewing services to Peacock in the Park. • Tad Williams, a 2001 scholar who majored in art at Lewis &. Clark College, now serves on Peacock’s scholarship review panel. Van Patten hints that a new event with a similar name will replace Peacock in the Park, but she remains mum on details. “We would like to come up with another large-scale fund raiser; however, we don’t really want to talk about it at this point because we want to con centrate on making Peacock 2004 the best it could possibly be.” Van P atten is especially proud th at the ev en t is well-respected by city officials and neighborhood associations, and she hopes this year’s revelers will be respectful of the en v iro n m en t and allow Peacock to fade into the sunset w ith its reputation intact. She promises this year’s party will feature the best performers from past Peacocks along w ith “a few surprises.” “We wanna be like Friends and Sex and the C ity,” Van Patten says. “We wanna go out while we’re still popular, while we’re still well loved, while we’re still on top, rather than being like the Roseanne show th at went three seasons too long.” J H The final PEACOCK IN THE P a r k m il be held 2:30 p.m. June 27 at Washington Park Amphitheater. For more information call 503-281'2 8 11. To make donations or download scholarship applications, which are due May I , visit www.peacockinthepark.com.
