It’s Faggedy Eve Day, the day/night before the OFFICIALLY SANCTIONED downtown Pride Events/Parade/Festival at Seattle Center and just like Xmas Eve Day, there is so very much to do…most of which involves spending money, eating, drinking and fighting with our loved ones…WHAT SHOULD WE DO FIRST?!?!?!?
Early Birds who either didn’t stay up all night drinking and fornicating, OR, just haven’t been to bed yet, can stuff their mouths full of pancakes at the 22nd Annual Pride Pancake Breakfast benefiting Multifaith Works, Bailey-Boushay House and Dignity/Seattle. There will be hotscakes and raffles and a little subtle proselytizing (look it up) and it’s happening EARLY (8am to NOON) at the Central Lutheran Church Social Hall at 1710 11th Avenue…it’s only $7 which is about the same price as IHOP but without all the drama and it’s for the ENTIRE FAMILY! Also, who the hell DOESN’T love pancakes? Other strange fact: this event doesn’t seem to exist on Facebook…don’t religious groups know the power of FACEBOOK!!!!
Now, down to the nitty-gritty event of the day, the Capitol Hill Pride Festival which is going down on Broadway between John and Roy Streets starting at 10am and which is promising to be a FREE, ALL-AGES family street festival celebrating diversity and community pride…which sounds a lot like the old Capitol Hill Street Party they used to have on Broadway and hopefully not much like the trainwreck that was Queerfest that ended up destroying the LGBT Center (RIP) a couple of years ago…but, let’s not stir THAT up again…(or, should we?) Anyway, what they’re promising us is:
- Hosting by Mark “Mom” Finley as well as a Kabuki performance from Mx Finley (!!!!)
- Our “friendly” rival, publisher George Bakan will give a rousing speech on the Gay Rights movement, followed by Mr Bakan publicly strangling the person who misspelled his name on the CH Pride Festival website…(I’m JOKING George!)
- Lots and lots of music and performance acts will be on the main stage, including the wonderful Ben De La Creme
- Lots and lots of scarf twirling and dancing by beloved Capitol Hill character Boe Odyssey which will include a significant amount of flashes of full frontal nudity
- A Doggie Drag Queen Contest…I have NOTHING humorous to say about THAT…
but, the event sounds like a lot of fun for LGBT families and those less inclined to excessive drinking…check it out!
Also, going down on Saturday is the beloved Seattle Dyke March and Rally with a theme of “Connecting to the International Community-Dyke, Lesbian, Bi, Trans, Queer”. The rally starts at 5pm and goes to 7pm followed by the parade around the Hill. It’s all happening at the Seattle Central Community College Plaza at Broadway and Pine and it’s one of the few POLITICALLY and SOCIALLY relevant events during Pride, so I encourage you to check it out…it’s what Pride is all about, especially for women. (I can be serious when the need arises…)
Also a bit more serious and artistically inspiring is Voices Rising, a concert showcasing some amazingly talented queer artists of color including Nedra Johnson, Kevin Simmonds and Imani Sims…It’s happening at Richard Hugo House on Saturday night at 7:30pm. And, at All-Pilgrim’s Church at 500 Broadway East there will be the Interfaith Pride Worship Service which unites the LGBT Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities in a service which starts at 2pm…AND, Bend-It continues in Cal Anderson Park with family friendly events including rubber duck races, hula hoop contests and a variety show in the evening. Sweet! Other family options include, Pride Day at Wild Waves Theme Park or checking out the theatrical shows, Zanna Don’t at Seattle Rep or the Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre at Washington Ensemble Theatre. Non-drinkers have the options of Liberate: A Pride Party at Century Ballroom that features dancing and a no-alcohol environment for a substance-free Pride celebration that starts at 9pm…OR, if you’re a country/line dancer fan, try out Rain Country’s Pride Barn Dance at the Seattle Center House from 6pm to 9pm…YEE HA!!!
More to come! Stay tuned and we’ll back with Saturday’s drinkier events…
-Michael Strangeways
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
