Need More Pride? Tacoma Celebrates This Weekend With BIG Events

I don’t know about you all, but I’ve been suffering from PPPDS…”Post Pride Partum Depression Syndrome” since Seattle LGBTQ Pride celebrations ended on the evening of June 26th.

(Yes…I’m aware that the phrase “Post Pride Partum Depression Syndrome” makes absolutely no sense…unless you gave birth over Seattle Pride weekend…)

If you’ve felt glum, blue and down in the dumps since our party ended (and frankly, 4th of July just doesn’t do it as a post-Pride pick me up. It’s too damn noisy and full of straight folks actin’ the fool…) then we have a simple 30 miles away solution:

Head to Tacoma this weekend to celebrate LGBTQ Pride all over again!

Our neighbor metro city to the south (and, for most of us poor arty farty types, our probable future home if we want to stay in the metro Seattle/Western Washington area since Seattle itself is getting too expensive) will kick off their annual LGBTQ Pride celebrations this coming Friday, July 8th with a Pride Flag Raising and the Tacoma Pride Foundation Rainbow Awards ceremony happening at the Pantages Theatre, 901 Broadway from 4:30 pm to 6 pm. Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland and community leaders will be on hand to get the ball rolling on their Pride festivities while honoring local community members working for equality. The event is free and open to the public.

It’s followed by some interesting live entertainment. YouTube star/”American Idol” contestant/gay personality TODRICK HALL has created a fascinating new touring musical show that proves you don’t have be a drag queen to be a gay entertainer. His “Straight Outta Oz” puts a new twist on the classic “Oz” stories by L. Frank Baum and features 20 new songs, original choreography and a bedazzling array of glittery sets, costumes and special effects.

It’s happening from 7:30 pm to 11 pm at The Pantages and you can still snag tickets HERE. This is a touring show that debuts this week in Vancouver BC and Tacoma will be in its second stop before proceeding to Portland and stops all over the country.

Tacoma’s big Pride Festival day is Saturday, July 9th with a two part event. (And, note that Tacoma does NOT do a parade.) Part one is the annual community family friendly street festival OUT IN THE PARK produced by Tacoma’s RAINBOW CENTER from noon to 5 pm. It’s moved locations (it’s actually not in a park anymore) and will take place in downtown Tacoma at Pacific Avenue and South 9th Street. It’s free and open to the public and features vendors and stages showcasing live performances and guest speakers. Seattle’s own Ladie Chablis is one of the emcees with Jenuwine Beaute and guests include the divine Vicci Martinez.

Purple Crush’s Banjee Ball comes to The Mix’s Tacoma Pride Block Party on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Pictured: Purple Crush/Banjee Ball at Seattle PrideFest June 2014. Photo: Photo by Michael McAfoose – UrbanFocusPhotography.com

Then, the party gets a bit more adult as it moves up the street to THE MIX for their big annual PRIDE BLOCK PARTY in front of their club at 635 St. Helens Avenue from 5 pm to 2 am. They’ve partnered with Tacoma Pride so this IS an official Tacoma Pride event…though, this one does recover a cover and it’s 21+ w/ID required.

Headlining this year’s event and “straight from L.A.’s underground world of ballroom/vogue”, PURPLE CRUSH and their amazingly fun BANJEE BALL! Fans of both might remember they were at Seattle PrideFest a couple years back and were a huge hit at the Fountain DJ Stage as local competitors vied to win one of the 3 categories: “Vogue”, “Runway” or “Sex Siren”.

THE MIX PRIDE BLOCK PARTY will also feature live performances from ADRA BOO of Seattle’s FLY MOON ROYALTY not to mention additional performances from DJs LA Kendall, Tony Burns and Tacoma’s own AB Pure Entertainment. Our favorite “ho” Miz Honey Bucket will be the night’s host as she presides over a cavalcade of night time fun that will include a bevvy of go go dancers plus 3 outdoor bars, food trucks and so much more.

Snag your advance tickets here (VIP or GA): http://www.themixtacoma.com/pride.html