Eugene weekly., August 09, 2018, Page 13, Image 13

SONJA LOFTON (LEFT)
AND HELEN SHEPARD
TEAM UP FOR A NEW
LGBTQ SPACE IN
EUGENE
A LIGHT IN THE DARK
A new queer venue called Spectrum will fill in the gap
left by the Wayward Lamb BY M E E R A H P OW E L L
PHOTO BY TODD COOPER
ill Sullivan has been living in Eugene for the
past 40 years, and he has been an organizer
of, and participant in, local LGBTQ+ events
for most of that time.
Throughout those years, Sullivan has seen
a multitude of gay bars open and close, including old favor
ites like Neighbors, Cassady’s Tavern and, most recent-
ly, the Wayward Lamb — a venue where Sullivan and his
drag troupe, The Glamazons, regularly performed.
The Lamb closed in February of this year.
Luckily for Sullivan and others in the community, a
new venue called Spectrum is set to open up in the same
downtown space formerly occupied by Wayward Lamb,
and it will have a temporary opening during this upcoming
Pride weekend.
Sullivan, who is also president of the Eugene/Spring-
field Pride Festival, says he’s excited to see another LG-
BTQ space open, even though he’s seen so many shutter
in the past.
“I’ve seen every bar we’ve had close,” Sullivan says.
B
“Those of us who have been around for so long, I hate to
say we’re accustomed to it.”
He says of Spectrum: “I’m excited. Any new bar that
opens, we’ll support.”
Helen Shepard is the owner of Spectrum and uses they/
them pronouns. They say they’ve felt that community sup-
port fully. Shepard and Spectrum manager Sonja Lofton
say they’ve received encouraging Facebook messages, as
well as from people walking by the space downtown, ex-
cited for its opening.
Shepard grew up in Eugene and is a part of the queer
burlesque troupe Unveiled, which regularly performed at
the Wayward Lamb. When the Lamb closed, Shepard says
they were inspired to open Spectrum.
“I want the queer community to continue to have a
home,” they say.
Sullivan says that, although events in Eugene can still
happen without a gay bar, having a specifically LGBTQ
space as a home base is crucial.
“Events can thrive. It’s just a different kind of thriv-
ing,” Sullivan says. “There’s still part of our community
that doesn’t feel comfortable going into a place that’s ‘gay-
friendly’ but not an actual gay bar.”
Shepard says Spectrum will be more than just a gay bar.
“I want it to be a place for the queer community to orga-
nize,” they explain.
Shepard and Lofton say Spectrum will be a bar, but will
also have all-ages events and opportunities. They’re hop-
ing to be open throughout the day and to serve food and
coffee, have a space for people to do work and have a com-
puter for people to use.
They also plan to provide information on different re-
sources available to the LGBTQ community.
“I would hesitate to call it a resource center,” Lofton
says. “But we can try to point you in the right direction.”
Shepard says a longtime dream for the space would be
for it to someday become a nonprofit. “I would love for it
to be an actual resource center — moving into more of the
community social aspects of it,” Shepard says.
For now the venue will host community-organizing
events and a variety of other events like those formerly
held at Wayward Lamb and more.
Sullivan says he’s excited for Glamazons to potentially
perform at Spectrum, something Shepard says they’re also
looking forward to. “We would love to have Glamazons
and other drag performances,” they say, “as well as all-
ages and variety performances.”
Shepard notes that they specifically want Spectrum to
feel like a safe space for queer people. “I grew up Mormon
and I think my culture, and our American culture at large, is
very shame-based,” Shepard says. “One of the most beau-
tiful things that is inherently queer is a refusal of shame.”
They continue: “I am really hoping to foster an environ-
ment of unconditional love and acceptance.”
Spectrum is still going through renovations and Shepa-
rd and Lofton say they hope to see it fully open sometime
in September.
The venue will be having a soft opening of sorts for
Pride Weekend and will be hosting events from Thursday
to Sunday, including gender inclusive dance parties, a bur-
lesque performance by Unveiled, drag performances, mu-
sic from DJs and other pop-up performances. ▪
Spectrum will occupy the former space of the Wayward Lamb, 150 W. Broad-
way. Visit Spectrum’s Facebook page for more information.
EUGENE PRIDE
EVENTS ROUNDUP 2018 brings new official and unofficial Pride events to Eugene!
BY TAY LO R G R I G G S
he Eugene/Springfield Pride
Festival is held each August
partly so that it doesn’t have
to compete with other celebra-
tions in bigger cities on the
West Coast, which hold their Pride events in
June. But Eugene puts on a fun-filled Pride
of its own, and this year will be no different,
from the official Pride activities to other local
events.
At Eugene’s Pride, which is Aug. 11, you
will find a family friendly event with a lot of
local ties and vendors. “We can call it a Eu-
gene celebration,” says Vincent Mays, Pride
vice president. “We can make it local; we can
tailor it to how we want to do it.”
According to Mays and Bill Sullivan,
Pride president, this year’s local sponsors include Hop Val-
ley, Off the Waffle and Cornbread Cafe. Last summer, Hop
Valley released a beer to support LGBTQ organizations,
and Sullivan says the brewery has other Pride-themed mer-
chandise available all year.
Sullivan and Mays say the Pride festival will be differ-
ent this year because there will be a live broadcast from
local radio station Star FM 102.3 with interviews from lo-
cal politicians. This year will also be the first time that the
T
festival puts out official merchandise for festival-goers to
purchase, the profits from which will go to a scholarship
fund for LGBTQ youth.
Sullivan and Mays say that there will be more music
this year than in years past. They also say that there will be
a “queer yoga” event to start off the day, as well as a bike
valet throughout the day.
“What’s more Eugene than queer yoga?” Mays asks.
Along with official, sanctioned Pride events, there are
some local businesses that will be in on the
action and host unofficial events in con-
junction with the celebration.
On Friday night before the festival,
Blairally Vintage Arcade will host a pre-
Pride block party along with local non-
profit activist groups Trans*Ponder and the
Imperial Sovereign Court of the Emerald
Empire (ISCEE). The event will be open to
all ages until 9 pm.
Cowfish bar will host the unofficial “of-
ficial” Pride after-party. According to bar
owner Shawn DiFiore, Cowfish Cafe &
Club has been hosting the after-party for
years. This year during Pride weekend, fre-
quent Cowfish drag performers Glamazons
and Cookie Glaciers will be performing.
“Even though we’re not a gay bar, we wanted to create a
space where people felt free to be themselves,” DiFiore says.
“We’ve always been very pro-people, we love all people.”
In addition to the Pride events, a new LGBTQ bar in
town, Spectrum, will be celebrating its grand opening, see
our story this issue. ▪
Pride takes place from 12-6 pm Saturday, Aug. 11 at Alton Baker Park. More
information can be found at eugene-pride.org. More information about events
happening at Cowfish and Blairally can be found on their Facebook pages.
Pride is FREE with a $5 suggested donation.
eugeneweekly.com • A ugust 9, 2018
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