The calendar of events for Seattle Pride® 2009 in June is really beginning to build. You can find that list here. The weekly Pride Idol at R Place on Tuesdays has already begun with preliminary competitions for the next four weeks leading up to the finals on June 23 for $2000 in cash prizes.
On June 7, ACME Bowling hosts the “Strike out with Pride” Bowling Tournament at their private and super comfy Seven10 bowling lounge. Their lounge provides 10 lanes for the ultimate in having an intimate and upscale bowling experience.
From June 11- 14, the comedian Ant performs for Seattle Pride® with four shows at Parlor Live in Bellevue. A regular guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Tyra Banks Show,” ANT has appeared on five seasons of NBC’s hit series “Last Comic Standing.”
Then it’s the 11th Annual Bat N’Rouge on June 13 for a popular Dykes vs. Drag Queens softball competition and the 26th Annual Run and Walk With Pride on June 14.
A new event this year is “An Evening of Pride” at Half Price Books featuring a selection of honored guest speakers providing a unique perspective on the LGBT experience since stonewall on June 19 and the 4th Annual Out of the Closet Fashion Event at W Hotel on June 20 with Sylvia O’Stayformore and DJ Colby B.
On June 27, the Annual Pride Cruise party returns out of Pier 55 with DJs Zach Shore (YVR) and DJ Bret Law.
Seattle Pride® is Sunday June 28 which kicks off with brunch at various restaurants throughout the city but it looks like the locations have not been released yet. The giant Seattle Pride® Parade attracts over 350,000 people and begins at 11am on 4th Avenue in downtown Seattle. There will be a “VIP Village” this year (21 and over) at 4th and Bell Street, where you can drink and watch the Parade for a $5 fee which benefits the celebration or show them your Official Seattle Pride Button for free entry.
Following the Parade, Seattle PrideFest at Seattle Center is expected to be bigger than ever. Last year the event attracted over 50,000 people with its selection of diverse DJs for music and dancing in the Center’s International Fountain. There are several live performances planned and VIP Passes which will probably sell out!
Seattle Pride®, the month long celebration during June, is one of the largest Pride events in the country, has no paid staff, and an all volunteer Board of Directors. It takes well over 500 volunteer hours during the Pride parade to make the Seattle Pride® Celebration in June a happy, exciting, and SAFE event for all. Without its volunteers, Seattle Pride® wouldn’t exist. This year, hundreds of proud individuals will put their time, skill, and enthusiasm into the event.
For quite a while I have personally volunteered my time every day to make sure their “Events” webpage is up to date. You may want to volunteer some of your time so that this year’s Seattle Pride® Parade is better than ever before.
For more info, visit www.seattlepride.org or to volunteer go here.
