Pride 2010 hits the streets

When there’s dancing in the streets of downtown Pittsburgh, it can mean only one thing—it’s time for Pittsburgh Pride.

Liberty Avenue will be closed June 12 at 7pm for the biggest street party in town.  Featured performer Deborah Cox will perform her R&B/Hip-Hop/Dance hits in an electric evening celebrating Pittsburgh’s LGBT Community.

And if dancing isn’t your “thing,” don’t worry.

With the theme “You Belong,” Pride 2010 will offer something for everyone—a wide range of activities to empower, entertain and educate from June 4-13.

In addition OutTV will be broadcast Pride live for its second year.

Pride kicks off with a Pride Advocacy Rally at 6 pm June 4.  The event, which will be held outside the City-County Building, will feature distinguished gay activists Cleve Jones (whose story was featured in the Academy Award-winning film Milk) and Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, pastor of the MCC in Toronto.  (See interview with Rev. Hawkes on page 3).

Alos, this year's parade promises to be the biggest—and best-so far.  Kicking off at noon on June 13, the colorful caravan will be lead by Dykes on Bikes.  Grand Marshalls for the parade will be pillars of the Pittsburgh LGBT community Chuck Tierney and Chuck Honse, who operated the Holiday Bar in Oakland for 30 years.

Among the many events planned for Pride 2010, highlights include a town forum with the ACLU, seminars on home ownership and retirement, the popular Splash! Pool party on Mount Washington and the Pub Crawl—with stops at 14 locations throughout the city.

Each year Pride grows in scopes and numbers of attendees.  Scott Noxon of the Lambda Foundation predicts Pride 2010 will be the biggest and the best so far! Prove him right!

 

All Pride events produced and sponsored by the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.  www.pittsburghpride.org.