From the Jun 17 – Jun 23, 1999 issue

Pullout

Pride Week Calendar

by Adrian Ryan

RAINBOW FLAGS ARE FLUTTERING, parking is scarce, and thousands of gay men and women are converging on Broadway to explore the limits of queer culture (one nipple ring or two?). Yes, it's Pride Week in Seattle! Pride Week is more than an opportunity for party boys to ride on flatbed trucks and bare their lives (et al.) for the whole world to see. It is a time to reflect upon the past year's political victories (of which there were few), to celebrate the solidarity of the gay community (of which there is little) and give a big "Fuck You" to the various political forces that would drag us down (of which there are many).

Putting political and social justifications aside, Pride shows the world that queers still know how to throw a kick-ass party. So if you are not joining the annual mass exodus to San Francisco for their bigger and better celebration, here are some of the exciting happenings planned for Pride Week in Seattle! Come on! Taste the rainbow!

SATURDAY JUNE 19

· What better way to celebrate Pride than with copious alcohol consumption and drag queens? Saunter on over to the Capitol Hill Pride Festival and Street Party (10th Ave. and E. Pike St.). Take a walk down memory lane with the anachronistic talents of dance diva CeCe Peniston and C&C Music Factory's Deborah Cooper! Festivities start at 10:00 a.m.

· Show some Dyke Pride at the Lesbian Resource Center's Pride Kick-off BBQ (2214 S. Jackson St.), 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Finger lickin' good! For more info call 322-3965.

SUNDAY JUNE 20

· Celebrate diversity at the Cuff's enormous and wildly popular day-long Pride Kick-off Party, sponsored by Mr. Leather Association of Washington! (1533 13th Ave.).

WEDNESDAY JUNE 23

· Get on your knees--and PRAY! Join the Multifaith Alliance of Reconciling Communities as they celebrate 30 years of Pride. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. at the Central Lutheran Church (1710 11th Ave.).

· Pride is coming, and so should you! Club Z brings adult film star Kevin Kramer (Deep in the Brig, Hotter than Hell, etc.) to Seattle to help you "explore your exotic fantasies"! Ever wonder what goes on behind those mysterious black doors? Pride is a perfect excuse to find out! Live DJs, go-go boys, breath mints, massage, and more (1117 E. Pike St.). 9:00 p.m., $10, benefits Northwest AIDS Foundation.

· Party under the pictures you drool over in Aussie boy-meat mag Blue. ARO.space (925 E. Pike St.) and Night Fantasia sponsor a mid-Pride Week party, with DJ Ra providing "aqua audio." 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., $5.

THURSDAY JUNE 24

· Queers love show tunes, so you won't want to miss the Seattle Men's Chorus with gravelly-voiced queer icon Harvey Fierstein and Broadway star Faith Prince. They'll all be croonin' classics from the Great White Way. Gentlemen Prefer Broadway runs June 24-26, at Benaroya Hall (200 University St.). 8:00 p.m., $9-$50. Call 323-2992 for ticket info.

FRIDAY JUNE 25

· Kick off Pride Weekend shaking your proud bootay at ARO.space's "mixed" Pride party. World-famous DJ Special K and DJ Nasir duke it out in a "Hot Box vs. Digitalis" house music extravaganza! Proceeds go to the LRC (925 E. Pike St.). 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., $7.

· Oh, you lucky lesbians! The Wild Rose (1020 E. Pike St.) is hosting an event that could have all of straight male America baying like hounds at a butcher shop window--an all-grrrl Wet T-shirt Contest! (Are those Tic Tacs in your T-shirt, or are you just happy to see me?)

· The Seattle Eagle makes Pride history by hosting their first-ever Ladies' Night, featuring Bartop Humor with comedienne Cathy Sorba! I hope these ladies know what they are getting themselves into! (314 E. Pike St.). Show at 8:00 p.m., $5 cover.

· Sashay over to Neighbours (1509 Broadway) and dance till dawn to some good 'n' faggy dance hits! Remember to check out Neighbours' newly renovated men's room--a true testament to the progress of the queer community!

SATURDAY JUNE 26

· Got a little jock in you? Or just a fetish for them? Don't miss the Seattle Frontrunners' "Run with Pride" 10k and 4k runs and non-competitive 4k walk at Seward Park. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., races start at 9:00 a.m., and there is a proud $15-$20 entry fee. Call Ed at 781-3077 for more info.

· March with or cheer for the lovely lesbians of Seattle at the Dyke March, Seattle's un-commercially contaminated Pride Parade! No prostituting our sexuality to corporate America here, just good times and good gals whooping it up for Pride. The march begins at Seattle Central Community College at 7:00 p.m., and a rally featuring speakers and live bands follows. Goooooo, DYKES!

· After the Dyke March, shake your girlie stuff at the BIG Girlie Party at Re-bar, featuring the spinnings of MC Queen Lucky! (1114 Howell St.). 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., $5.

· Wanna model those new Freedom Rings? Neighbours' Pride Party is one of their busiest nights of the year, and one of the most popular Pride events in town! (1509 Broadway).

· Lambert House is hosting "Lambertfest" for all you queer young 'uns, featuring a BBQ family night and a "Pride and Pajama Sleepover." Sorry, no chicken hawks allowed! (1818 15th Ave.). Call (206) 322-2515 for more information.

· More dyke fun: The LRC (2214 S. Jackson St.) is throwing a Pride Poker Party and Movie Night, 9:00 p.m. to "whenever." This promises to be a full-on lesbian hootenanny! (Don't forget your poker face, your lucky deck, and a U-Haul with all your furniture!)

· The Wild Rose (1020 E. Pike St.) is putting on a Dykes on Trikes Marathon and Free-Dom Dance, complete with live DJ! They work hard, they play hard!

· Celebrate diversity at the First Annual Black Gay Pride Celebration, 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. at Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center (104 17th Ave. S.). Call 684-4757 for more information.

· For the boys, nothing says "Pride" like a furtive hand job from a total stranger! Basic Plumbing (1505 10th Ave. E.) is sure to be packed with new meat from across the state. C'mon! Make a friend!

· Strip down to your skivvies at the Eagle's Infamous Underwear Party! Don't worry about that beer gut, you are proud, damn it! (314 E. Pike St.).

· If you just can't get enough of prancing around in your unmentionables, ARO.space is hosting their First Annual Underwear Party and Pajama Jammy Jam. Proceeds go to Gay City (925 E. Pike St.). $12 for folks in their undies, $17 for folks too chicken to bare all.

· They're fuzzy, they're fabulous, they're BEARS! The Fourth Annual Invasion of the Bears begins at the Sea Wolf Saloon at 4:00 p.m. (1413 14th Ave.). Then, continue the furry fun with a bus ride to the Tai Tung Chinese Restaurant for dinner. (Waiter! There's a hair in my Kung Pao!)

SUNDAY JUNE 27

· The big event starts at Broadway and Pike at 11:00 a.m. sharp, so bring your sunscreen and your Ray Bans, cuz it never rains on a Seattle Pride Parade. The theme of this year's parade is "Thirty Years Since Stonewall/Pride Changes Everything." For the first time ever, there will be cash prizes for the most creative floats (something suggested in this newspaper years ago), so you may wanna actually stay and watch the whole thing!

· After the parade, head to the rally in Volunteer Park, where the sound of pride will be the sound of cash registers ringing. Need to stock up on rainbow-printed anything? Fresh out of lewd T-shirts? Dozens of vendors will be on hand to make your rainbow-striped dreams come true. This year's Pride Rally features square dancing by the Timberline Tavern, plenty of yummy fast-food vendors, an appearance by the Seattle Men's Chorus, and a children's stage (my, they're coming out young these days).

· In the mood for some post-rally rough trade? Mosey on over to the Cuff's annual Pride Day Street Party, featuring their enormous Beer and Liquor Garden! (Don't forget to visit the "dog run" and make some Pride memories!) Fifteen outdoor bars; food and music. 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

· C. C. Attle's (1501 E. Madison St.) gets in on the street party action this year with their Tropical Garden Party. Four outdoor bars, three indoor bars, no waiting. Dunk tanks! 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

· Still not proud enough? Still standing? Make a prideful spectacle of yourself at R Place's Sunday Karaoke! (619 E. Pine St.) R Place celebrates Pride Day with happy-hour prices all day long, so fill up on some liquid courage and favor us with a song.

Happy Pride Week!