Capitol Hill considers Pride Festival on Broadway; Volunteer Park celebration announced

The Capitol Hill Community Council’s Arts and Events Committee is making initial plans for a Capitol Hill Pride Festival 2009 on Saturday June 27th from 11am-4pm. The plan is to close down two blocks on Broadway between Olive and Harrison St. rather than hold it in Volunteer Park like it was two years ago.

Back in 2006, the Seattle Pride Parade moved from Capitol Hill to downtown Seattle along 4th Avenue and Seattle PrideFest was held at The Seattle Center instead of Volunteer park. As the downtown Pride Parade drew a record number of people several groups continued to organize a competing festival in Volunteer Park calling it QueerFest. Without the Pride Parade on Capitol Hill the Volunteer Park events turned out to be much smaller than previous years and eventually created financial trouble in 2007 for The LGBT Community Center, which is now on a hiatus. There was no pride festival on Capitol Hill held in 2008 other than the annual dyke march and rally.

For this Pride Festival on Broadway music and dancing are initially planned featuring a stage, microphone, lights, audiovisual, music and Jumbotrons — (funds allowing), Large Screen Displays on North and South end. Free 10 x 10 booths for non-profits are also being considered.

I guess if they can find the money, why not? Without the Pride Parade on Capitol Hill it makes a little more sense to have an event on Broadway since it seems harder to get people to Volunteer Park without a parade.

Seattle’s Pride Parade and PrideFest at The Seattle Center are still planned for Sunday June 28, 2009. Last year’s downtown Pride Parade organized by Seattle Out and Proud, reportedly attracted well over 100,000 people or from the highest estimates several hundred thousand reportedly attended.

The Capitol Hill Festival needs a name by March 19th.
Here are some of the suggestions being considered:

For more info visit www.capitolhillcommunitycouncil.org.

I am also hearing about an event being planned for Volunteer Park on Saturday June 27, 2009. This event is being organized by Kyler Powell, the young man responsible for the first Prop 8 Protest in Seattle that drew at least 8000 protesters. Powell along with Kaladi Productions are calling it Seattle Stonewall 40th Celebration and the plan is for it to be in Volunteer Park at 2pm on Saturday June 27th. More info as soon as we get it.