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.