This weekend's for celebrating -- not just in the sense of "proud to be an American," but also in the "proud to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and any other category you might happen to fall in because you were born a certain way and damn it, you embrace yourself" sense. Yes, Atlanta Gay Pride is upon us, my friends. If you like it, come celebrate. If you don't, put your angry "gays are spawns of Satan, but I still wear wool and eat pork" Bible-beating signs down and give it a rest already.
Why we celebrate...
What the hell is Atlanta Gay Pride, anyway? It's certainly not just a flamboyant show of feathers and leather. It's far more meaningful. Typically, Atlanta Gay Pride takes place in late June (the third weekend, to be exact) to honor the historic Stonewall Riots, which took place June 28, 1969. The event was a major catalyst for the GLBT community as it helped us develop a very strong and unified front. Standing together, we were going to fight back ... again and again. With organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign lobbying for our rights in Congress and California legalizing gay marriage, progress continues to be made, though we're far from true equality. As we band together during Pride, we're embracing our community for all that it is -- a veritable rainbow of bright personalities from all walks of life, be it attorneys and surgeons, teachers and police officers, military and artists, CEOs and sanitation workers, editors and accountants, restaurateurs and ministers, neighbors and friends. Together, we celebrate our similarities and our differences -- proudly.
What to do this weekend...
Because of the drought, Pride's 3-day celebration has been moved to the 4th of July weekend and from Piedmont Park to the Atlanta Civic Center. There's a plethora of activities this weekend to celebrate Atlanta Gay Pride, not just at the Atlanta Civic Center and the parade, but also at all the gay and lesbian bars around town.
The main Atlanta Pride event is the three-day Atlanta Pride Festival, which takes place this year downtown at the Atlanta Civic Center (395 Piedmont Ave. NE). The festival kicks off at 6 pm on Friday, July 4, and lasts until 11 p.m. The next two days, Saturday and Sunday, the festival continues at the park, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Admission is free, and during the festival there's live music and comedy; a Pride Market featuring dozens of vendors, GLBT organizations and crafters; and a variety of forums and ceremonies.
Entertainment at Atlanta Pride is extensive and varied, and typically includes movies, concerts, cabaret and fashion shows. On Saturday, the Festival presents the first of two big parades, the Dyke March, which starts at 6 pm. The Atlanta Pride Parade is held on Sunday afternoon at 1 pm.
Happy Pride!