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Activities planned for Pride Month
6/16/10
by Beth Wilberding
Messenger-Inquirer
An art auction, short plays and a community celebration are several
components of the upcoming Owensboro Pride Week.
June is LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Pride Month. This is
the first year a large-scale Pride celebration is planned for Owensboro,
said Scott Taylor, one of the organizers.
Pride Week events are planned June 23 through June 26. Organizers hope
residents of all sexualities and races will attend events.
"Just be proud of who you are," said Taylor, a board member of the Tri-State
Alliance and manager at Equals. "Owensboro's had small (Pride events) ...
but nothing has ever been put together of this magnitude."
Pride Week was organized by the Owensboro AIDS Task Force and the Tri-State
Alliance.
"There's a lot of interest in Owensboro in hosting these types of events
that celebrate and educate around issues of diversity," said Wally Paynter,
president of the Tri-State Alliance.
Activities begin June 23 at Equals Bar with live entertainment and karaoke.
Merely Players will present "One Night Stand," three short plays and a few
musical numbers, on June 24 at Equals. An AIDS Art Auction is June 25 at
Brescia University.
The Owensboro Pride Celebration is June 26 at the Sportscenter and includes
live entertainment, speakers, food, games, booths and a health fair.
"There's going to be a couple of presentations on the history of Pride to
let people know what it is, because most people in Owensboro don't," Taylor
said.
A Special Pride Show and Party is on the evening of June 26 at Equals.
On June 27, residents are taking a bus ride to Chicago for a Pride event.
More information on the trip is available at local Pride Week events.
Donations will be accepted at the Owensboro Pride Celebration, and money
raised will benefit the Owensboro AIDS Task Force and the Tri-State
Alliance's AIDS Holiday Project.
The Owensboro AIDS Task Force does free HIV/AIDS testing throughout the
state and offers support to individuals who have been affected by HIV/AIDS,
Taylor wrote in an e-mail.
The Tri-State Alliance's AIDS Holiday Project provides food, clothing and
gifts during the holiday season to low-income families in Kentucky, Indiana
and Illinois that have been affected by HIV/AIDS, Paynter said.
Paynter said he hopes Pride Week will become an annual event and create
awareness for the annual Owensboro AIDS Walk. This year's walk is scheduled
for Oct. 30.
Taylor said there are misconceptions about the LGBT community, and he hopes
the Pride events will change those.
"(It's our) first chance to reach out to the community," he said.
The Owensboro Pride Celebration is June 23-26. The opening ceremony is at 8
p.m. on June 23 at Equals Bar, 1006 East Fourth St. Merely Players will
present "One Night Stand" at 10 p.m. on June 24 at Equals. Admission is $5.
An AIDS Art Auction is from 7 to 9 p.m. on June 25 in the Third Floor Laurel
Lobby of the Lechner Building at Brescia University. Admission is $10.
The Owensboro Pride Celebration is from noon to 6 p.m. June 26 at the
Sportscenter.
A Special Pride Show and Party is from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on June 26 at
Equals. Miss Gay Owensboro 2010 Dakota Carmichael will perform.
All events that take place at Equals Bar are for ages 21 and up, but the
other events are all ages.
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