10 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
ASTORIA PRIDE R
L
CELEBRATION OF LGBTQ COMMUNITY SHOWS HOW FAR THE CULTURE HAS COME
By HEATHER DOUGLAS
FOR COAST WEEKEND
eRoy Adolphson, the owner
of a local salon, will be serving
as a grand marshal in the Astoria
Pride Riverwalk Parade on
Sunday, June 11. It will be a
meaningful occasion for the
69-year-old Astoria native, who
said he hated the town when he
was young.
“It wasn’t fun being gay and bullied every-
day in school,” he said. “I couldn’t wait to get
out of Astoria someday.”
But, in his lifetime, Adolphson has seen As-
toria — and the larger culture — make tremen-
dous progress.
The Pride Riverwalk Parade is the fi nale of
the second annual Astoria Pride, a celebration
of the LGBTQ community taking place Friday
through Sunday, June 9 to 11.
Organized by the Lower Columbia Q Center,
the festivities begin with Friday night events
at The Liberty Theatre: “Cocktails with the
Queens” at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Pride
Gala in the historic venue at 8 p.m. Performing
in the elegant space is a “dream come true” for
many of the entertainers, said Marco Davis,
chair of the Q Center, a nonprofi t, nonpolitical
organization.
From 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday, the Pride Block
Party takes place at the foot of 21st Street,
offering live music, drag performances, a Pride
pop-up shop and a kids’ activity area. Then,
from 9 p.m. to midnight, a free all-ages dance
party takes place at the Astoria Arts and Move-
ment Center.
On Sunday is the Astoria Pride Riverwalk
Parade. Day-of registration begins at 10 a.m.
The parade begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Colum-
bia Maritime Memorial Park and heads east to
the foot of 21st Street, where a short rally will
be held.
Adolphson will be joined by fellow grand
marshals Jeralyn O’Brien, an Astoria resident,
U.S. Coast Guard veteran and founding member
of the Q Center; and Portland’s Darcelle XV,
the Guinness Book of World Records’ Longest
Performing Drag Queen.
“I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN THE FIRST
PRIDE PARADE HAPPENED HERE IN
ASTORIA. IT WAS AMAZING.”
COLIN MURPHEY/THE DAILY ASTORIAN
LeRoy Adolphson puts the fi nishing touches on a client’s haircut at his salon in Astoria.
BANDING TOGETHER
Donna Galich, chair of Astoria Pride, said
the event “gives an awareness to this part of the
community.”
COLIN MURPHEY/THE DAILY ASTORIAN
PHOTO BY DWIGHT CASWELL
Marco Davis, chair of the Lower Columbia Q Center
David Drafall, left, treasurer of the Lower Columbia Q Center, shares salon space with
Adolphson.