Lexington Pride Festival
11 a.m. - 9 p.m., June 26
Robert E. Stephens Courthouse Plaza
Free, family friendly
In just its third year, the 2010 Lexington Pride Festival has grown to new heights, with a bigger, higher profile location and national and international headliners mixed in with a group of local and regional entertainers.
"We had over 3,000 people at the first Pride Festival (in 2008), and the second year we had well over 6,000," said Chad Hundley, who serves as the Marketing & Publicity Chair for the event.
The festival, which was held in Cheapside Park in years past, will take place on the Robert E. Stephens Courthouse Plaza this year, with North Limestone and Short Street blocked off to drivers. "We're hoping for 8 - 9,000 (people) this year, with it being in an even more public house."
Presented in part by the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization, a non-profit organization that has been working to improve the quality of life for Lexington's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) population since the late '70s, the festival's purpose is multi-faceted -
in addition to creating visibility and raising awareness for Lexington's GLBT population, the event is a celebration for that community and its allies - GLBT supporters - as well. The event is free and family-friendly and open to all members of the community.
"This is a celebration, celebrating our pride and that we don't have to be private anymore," Hundley said, adding that the local GLBT community has come a long way from the days when their annual celebration was a private picnic on a farm, away from the center of town, with little public visibility. "It's not that we're trying to make some big and bold statement," he continued, "we're just trying to raise people's awareness in the community, and let everyone know that we're here, we're normal, and we like to have fun - we just like to be part of the community."
Entertainment Chair Jack Cofer, a local transgendered musician from the band Spooky Qs, and Activities Chair Nollie Palmer, a local high school student, have been working hard to create a schedule of events geared toward the entire Lexington community, including lots of kid-friendly events and music to appeal to GLBT and non-GLBT community members alike. Renowned Guyanese R&B/neo-soul artist Nhojj, who has recently had a No. 1 hit video on MTV and has been performing at an international circuit of pride festivals, will be providing late afternoon entertainment on the main stage, and My Dear Disco will take the stage later in the evening.
The event will also feature performances by Stoll Vaughan, a Lexington singer/songwriter who has received national acclaim; Chicago's 8-Inch Betsy; Spooky Qs; March Madness Marching Band; Critical Impact Cloggers; Amalgamation Fire Nation; two drag shows featuring a diverse array of regional drag queens and kings, and much more. Other activities include a dunking booth, a Rock Band/Wii tent (the system will be raffled off at the end of the day), relay races, and Pride Festival Idol ("American Idol" style singing contest, with finalists to be chosen in a preliminary round earlier in the summer).
"There is a queer community in Lexington and it's growing. Being a college town, we're constantly infused with new people and new ideas. We want to keep people here - and we want everyone who's been here for a long time to stay," Cofer said. "It's beautiful to celebrate diversity and Lexington needs to start showing off everything it has to offer."