Join the fun at Kitsap County’s Pride Celebration on Saturday July 19, 2008. Festivities are being held at Evergreen Park in Bremerton, from noon to 5PM. The Kitsap Pride Network organizes the annual event for the local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally community, and the 2008 planning committee has been working hard to put together an event that exceeds expectations and showcases the talent and supporters in and around our community. Bring family & friends and be ready to enjoy a fabulous day at the park.
Although Kitsap Pride is being held in the same beautiful location, this year several great new features have been added, thanks to suggestions from previous year’s participants. This year change is good. We’ve added an area for families with children to come and enjoy. There is a covered picnic area for eating, gathering to socialize or just people watching. If you want to be closer to the action there will also be tables nearer the stage, or you can bring a blanket or stadium chairs and make your own viewing area. Don’t forget the Frisbees!
ALL FAMILIES MATTER: We’re really excited this year to be having a “Kid’s Zone”, hosted by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Bremerton. We’ll have balloons, crafts, sidewalk chalk, face painting, plus Corky the Clown will be back with Clancy the Wonderdog. The “Kid’s Zone” will start at noon and go to 2:30pm so bring the kids! You could even bring a picnic lunch! We look forward to seeing you! Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
We’ve not just added activities for the little ones. The Kitsap Safe Schools Network is sponsoring a Teen Space that will be hosted by The Q Center. The Q is a local drop in center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and allied youth from 14 to 19 years old. They’ll have a special space to hang out with friends and meet new ones. The Q Center will organize some special fun stuff.
Non-stop entertainment from the stage, sponsored by Red Star Events, will include drag kings (Tacoma’s Royal Knights) and queens (Faces Drag Show from VIBE in Kent), live music from local favorite Inga Nova and the heavy soul and funk sounds of the Kim Archer Band. The Kim Archer Band often plays Tacoma Pride, Bite of Seattle and other local events and venues. We are hoping to have some great queer slam poetry to end the day performed by Bent, Seattle’s Queer Writing Institute. Plus, we will have some special guest speakers. Go to our website (kitsappride.org) to keep up on the schedule. The stage will be in a great new location with plenty of lawn to spread out on and take in the show. Look for the giant rainbow roof to find the Red Star stage!
This year we’re proud to announce several new sponsors, including Pure Med Spa, Ameriprise Financial, the Slaughter County Roller Vixens, and Clear Creek Psychological. Plus our Community Partner organizations the Kitsap County HIV AIDS Foundation, Kitsap PFLAG, Kitsap Safe Schools Network, Positive Solutions, The Q Center and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The Vixens will be showing off their skills and selling cotton candy and sno-cones.
Our vendor marketplace should be a bustling avenue of GLBT Support & Education Information, Local Businesses and Merchants. This year there will be jewelry, apparel and accessories. We have many new vendors this time around as well as some of your favorites from past years.
Stop by the Kitsap Pride Network booth for some great pride merchandise and this year’s t-shirt. The Kitsap Pride Network wants to hear from you about how else we, or one of our partner organizations, can serve the community. What is needed in Kitsap County that is not happening now? Newsletter? More activities? Your feedback is important! We’ve responded to many of your previous comments and want more input from OUR community. At the Kitsap Pride booth, there will be free rainbow friendship bracelets for the first 200 to complete our quick survey. Everyone who answers the survey will be entered in a drawing for some fun prizes.
This year our food vendors will have burgers, polish sausages, hot wings, kettle corn, funnel cakes, elephant ears, and strawberry lemonade. Plus this year we’re even adding coffee drinks and smoothies to our selection of festival food. That was just some of the highlights.
After the Pride Celebration, come to Pride Party ’08 presented by Red Star at 9PM at Bremerton Eagles just blocks away on 6th at Washington. Red Star’s generous donation, raised at their monthly event, helped to underwrite the cost of the stage.
For answers on what to bring, where to show up, how to get there and what’s going on exactly please visit Kitsap Pride’s website often at kitsappride.org.