The second annual Capitol Hill Pride Festival is set for June 26 and, while it would not be the first Hill organization you might think of to lead the event, Seattle Museum of Mysteries is moving ahead with planning for the summer celebration that will turn blocks of Broadway into a community party.

When we asked the Museum of Mysteries about their plans and if there was any information we could share, museum employee Charlette LeFevre referred us to their website. According to the site, an estimated 5,000 people celebrated up and down the Broadway. in 2009. This year, they are expecting 7,000 to 10,000 people and are adding three blocks to the event, so that it stretches from E. John St. to Roy St. More than 200 booths and vendors are planned to surround three stages of entertainment. Festivities include a doggie drag show, body painting and music. The festival is planned to run all day, from 10 AM to 10 PM. You can also learn more about the festival on Seattle Gay Scene.

We checked with several organizations to find out if they were planning to support the festival this year including the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce, the Capitol Hill Community Council, The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) and the Capitol Hill staff of the Department of Neighborhoods.

“To date, the Capitol Hill Community Council has not been contacted regarding planning for or involvement with the Capitol Hill Pride Festival on Broadway,” said Jennifer Power, president of the Capitol Hill Community Council.
“We wish the organizers of the festival great success and applaud their contribution towards honoring the history of our community and its continued pursuit of equal rights for all.”

Jose Cervantes, Capitol Hill’s rep from the Department of Neighborhoods, said the organizers can apply for funding and support through his department, but they have not yet done so.

Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce is also not officially supporting the effort to organize the second year of the festival. “We were not approached by Museum of Mysteries to support or sponsor the Pride Festival this year. That would be an issue for the Board to take up at our Feb 23rd meeting since it would involve commitment of Chamber resources,” said Jack Hilovsky, executive director of the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce. “We did send an invitation for our Board and membership to volunteer at last year’s event, and would do the same this year in the spirit of supporting any community activity that celebrates and benefits the Hill.”

Think they could use some help? There is still vendor space available and volunteers are needed, so go to their website for more information.