GOV. RENDELL SCHEDULED TO MARCH IN NEW HOPE GAY PRIDE PARADE, MAY 17 by: Emily Irwin, OIA Newswire
GOVERNOR RENDELL SCHEDULED TO MARCH IN NEW HOPE'S GAY PRIDE PARADE, SATURDAY, MAY 17 AT 11:00 A.M.
NEW HOPE, PA (May 9, 2008) - Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell is scheduled to participate in The EDSites.net Pride Parade on Saturday, May 17 in New Hope. Featuring the Lesbian and Gay Big Apple Corp Marching Band from New York City, this 2nd annual parade is a focal point of New Hope Celebrates Pride Weekend. The march begins at 11:00 a.m., rain or shine, at New Hope-Solebury High School on West Bridge Street, continues down West Ferry Street and turns right on South Main Street. After the parade, additional performances take place on West Mechanic Street, which closes to traffic until 6:00 p.m. for a street fair featuring antiques, arts and music.
"The parade and the entire weekend showcase New Hope and our diverse community," says Louis Licitra, Chair of New Hope Celebrates Pride 2008. "It is fast becoming an annual New Hope tradition which highlights our varied history and our commitment to the future as a gay-friendly destination."
New Hope Celebrates Pride is a weekend devoted to New Hope, Pennsylvania's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and allied (GLBTA) visitors, friends and neighbors. Proceeds from various activities, parties and performances raise money to support Fighting AIDS Continuously Together (FACT) Bucks County, Philadelphia FIGHT, Trevor Project and William Way Community Center. A full schedule of events and ticketing information is available online at www.NewHopeCelebrates.com.
"Pride festivals throughout the United States celebrate the liberation and self-actualization of GLBT people as they commemorate the riot at the Stonewall Bar in New York City in 1969," explains Stephen A. Glassman, Chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, an active supporter of New Hope Celebrates. "Today we continue to fight for full equality while recognizing how far we have come as a community in the last 39 years. We are very close to passing a non-discrimination bill in Pennsylvania so that we can join 20 other states that have already passed this legislation."
According to Mr. Glassman, Governor Rendell has been a longstanding ally in this fight for equality for GLBT people and has consistently supported the gay community, both as Mayor of Philadelphia and Governor of the Commonwealth: "The Governor has been an outspoken advocate for gay rights and is famous for his midnight visits to gay and lesbian bars during political campaigns for himself and other candidates. As the community often hears 'The Guv loves the Gays!'"
In addition to Governor Rendell and Mr. Glassman, other honored guests in the parade include Judge Daniel Anders of Philadelphia and New Hope Borough Council members including Mayor Larry Keller, Council President Sharyn Keiser, Councilwoman Geraldine Delevich and Councilman Rey Velasco.
Various community organizations demonstrate their pride and support by marching in the parade including the Bucks County Lesbian Alliance, FACT Bucks County, New Hope Eagle Fire Company, Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce, Planned Parenthood of Bucks County's Rainbow Room, St. Philip's Episcopal Church of New Hope, United Christian Church of Levittown and Unitarian Universalist Church of Washington's Crossing.
Other participants include The NJ Eagles Motorcycle Club, the notorious local drag queen Miss Pumpkin, New Hope Carriage, La Femme Finishing School and Bitch Mode Productions. Various marchers carry the famed 100-foot Key West Rainbow Flag on loan to New Hope Celebrates for the annual event.
Roads impacted by The EDSites.net Pride Parade include West Bridge Street closed to traffic from 11:00 a.m. to noon, West Ferry Street closed to traffic from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and South Main Street from West Bridge Street to Riverwoods Drive closed to traffic from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. West Mechanic Street closes to traffic until 6:00 p.m. for a street fair after the parade.
New Hope Celebrates is a nonprofit GLBTA tourism marketing organization of the retail, hospitality, professional and local community. The organization is hosted by the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce and endorsed by the New Hope Borough Council. As of Fall 2007, NHC has donated nearly $50,000 to such organizations as Fighting Aids Continuously Together (FACT: Bucks County), the New Hope Flood Relief Fund, the Human Rights Campaign and Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County's Rainbow Room. Sponsorship opportunities and grant applications are available through the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund.
Major sponsors of New Hope Celebrates Pride 2008 include Smirnoff (Presenting Sponsor), Southwest Airlines, Origlio Beverages (Coors Light), Comcast, FunMaps, Bucks County Conference & Visitors Bureau, Inn to the Woods Bed & Breakfast, The Nevermore Hotel, Rainbow Assurance, Triumph Brewing Company, The Wishing Well Guesthouse, EDSites.net, Karla's/Zoubi Restaurants, Baldi & Jenei P.C., Havana Bar & Grill, New Hope Shoes, Notations Inc., Procerus MedSpa and Penn Wealth Planning. A complete list of sponsors is available at www.NewHopeCelebrates.com. [5/9/08]
IFBP CONVENES SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL BLACK AND BROWN SUMMIT Over sixty Latino/Hispanic and Black/African American LGBT leaders gathered at the first National Black and Brown Summit on Friday April 25, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Philadelphia in conjunction with Philadelphia Black Gay Pride weekend (April 24 – 27, 2008). Participants came from over one dozen cities from across the United States to participate in a facilitated dialogue about issues that impact LGBT Blacks and Latinos. The Black/Brown Coalition was conceptualized by Carolina Ramos, Latino Services Coordinator, San Diego LGBT Community Center and Earl Fowlkes, IFBP President/CEO after a joint presentation on reaching out to LGBT Communities of Color for the Democratic National Committee Western Region training in Las Vegas, NV in March 2007. > Full Story. [5/8/08]
COLUMBUS GAY MEN’S CHORUS TO PRESENT ROCKET MAN COLUMBUS, April 28, 2008 - The Columbus Gay Men's Chorus (CGMC) wraps up its 18th season with a spectacular tribute to the music of Sir Elton John. No keyboard, sunglasses, or costume change will be safe when CGMC pulls out all the stops in this musical extravaganza! > Full Story. [4/28/08]
NEW BOOK OF GAY FAMILY DRAWINGS; CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED BOSTON, MA — Today Family Equality Council is thrilled to congratulate Julian, age 8 of New Mexico, as the winner of our 2nd Annual Family Drawing Contest. Julian will receive a $250 savings bond. This year’s ten finalists hailed from across the nation: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas. Over 4,000 people cast votes in the Contest this year. The Drawing Contest serves to put a face on too-often invisible lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) headed families in communities around the country. > Full Story. [4/24/08]
AIDS ACTION BALTIMORE AND THE HIPPO PRESENT SANDRA BERNHARD On Friday, May 2, 2008, AIDS Action Baltimore and The Hippo will host two performances by the legendary Sandra Bernhard. The shows will be held at The Hippo, One West Eager Street, at 8pm and 10pm. A Champagne Reception will be held at 7pm, preceding the 8pm show. Tickets for either show are available for $55 for reserved seating (sold in tables of four), or $30 for standing room. Tickets for the Champagne Reception, which will feature an appearance by Ms. Bernhard, will include reserved seats for the 8 PM show and are available for $100. Proceeds will benefit AIDS Action Baltimore. > Full Story. [4/24/08]
BALTIMORE TO HOST REGIONAL MEETING FOR HIV COMMUNITY BALTIMORE—On Monday, May 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., people living with HIV/AIDS and their service providers from across the mid-Atlantic region will gather in Baltimore for CAEAR Coalition’s HIV Community Meeting: “Have Your Voice Heard in DC…Without Leaving Baltimore.” The meeting will take place at First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church, at 201 W. Madison Street in Baltimore. > Full Story. [4/24/08]
GLBT RADIO NETWORK ® AND GAY DAYS, INC. ® ANNOUNCE NATIONWIDE DJ CONTEST WINNERS Fort Lauderdale / Orlando, FL. - April 1, 2008 - On November 15, 2007 GLBT Radio Network and Gay Days, Inc. announced a nationwide contest for DJ's across America to compete for a chance to spin their very own pool party at the host hotel, Royal Plaza, during Gay Days 2008. > Full Story. [4/3/08]
