Not one but two family events on Capitol Hill for Pride 2013 (Image: CHS)
As the causes and the community around being LGBTQ in Seattle continue to change, grow and expand, the 7th annual Seattle PrideFest is prepping for its biggest year yet — including even more fun and celebration on Capitol Hill.
“Everything this year we’re trying to do bigger and better since we have *a lot* to celebrate,” said festival director Egan Orion. “We want the community to get amped up since we passed such a huge milestone last year.”
To capitalize on R-74’s big approval last year, PrideFest is playing of a same-sex marriage theme for its Gay Day of Service, with the appropriate official tagline “We Do.” On June 1st, PrideFest is teaming up with Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce to host a street cleaning community service project.
The aim is to provide a clean sweep of most of Capitol Hill’s major arterials, ending at Cal Anderson Park. People interested in volunteering can RSVP via Facebook.
New this year will be PrideFest’s first Family Day, a free event in Cal Anderson slated for June 29. Recess Monkey, a kid-friendly band that includes three local elementary school teachers, will be rocking out for the young ones, who can also look forward to magic shows and bounce houses. However, that’s not even the most exciting thing about Family Day…
“We are going to have drag queens reading children’s books,” said Orion. “Between that and free ice cream, I think it will be a really fun time.”
Pride in 2013 is so family-friendly that the Cal Anderson event won’t even be the only kids, etc.-oriented even this June on the Hill. June 15th marks the return of the annual Pride Picnic to Volunteer Park.
PrideFest will also be celebrating the night before the big Sunday at Neumos for its Red Party at Neumos on June 29. From 9 pm to 5 am, two time Grammy award-winning DJ Tony Moran will be commanding the dance floor. For those who want to dance a little differently, PrideFest will also be hosting their first Silent Disco at the Seattle Center festival. Dancers will be given headphones that will channel music from different DJ’s.
“People that are looking in from the outside will just see people dancing to nothing,” Orion said.
June 30th, of course, brings the annual downtown parade.
You can learn more about Seattle Pride 2013 at seattlepridefest.org and seattlepride.org.
We live in Spokane,last year we needed to be in Seattle for an appointment,and arrived right in the middle of the Pride festivities,we were so disappointed we didn’t get to celebrate with everyone else. We have already planned a trip back to Seattle on June 30th so we can join in all the fun and it will be much better because our gay son and his boyfriend will be there right along with us! on June 8th is Spokane’s Gay Pride festival,we will be going to that one as well.
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