With Pride just over two months away, time is starting to run out. Entries for the Gay Pride March Sunday, June 25, are limited to less than 200 and nearly 150 slots have already been taken. It is the earliest so many applications were received by the Gay Pride committee, and may mean the very first time in the 22-year history of the event that applications to participate in the march will have to be declined.
This year the event, traditionally held in Capitol Hill's Broadway business district and in Volunteer Park, will take place in Downtown Seattle with the Gay Pride rally, with vendors, entertainment and educational opportunities taking place at Seattle Center.
"Right now we have twice as many response as last year to all forms of application," said Dale Kerschner, president of the board of directors and the Seattle Out and Proud marketing director. "It's kind of what we always thought, that there is a segment of the community that wanted to see us do something new."
In fact, he said, the fear is that it is going to be too big,. The overwhelming response to this year's event is causing speculation that it may overwhelm facilities at Seattle Center. The center can accommodate 50,000 people at one time, and the current record is 42,000. Kershner said he has spoken with the fire marshal, who he said is mainly concerned about enclosed and gated venues. Since Pride will be open and free the concern is not of safety, but of overwhelming the facilities - food vendors, walkways and restrooms, for example.
March entries (it is officially a civil rights march, not a parade) are limited to keep the march from continuing for more than three hours. As of Sunday there were 115 group applications and 25 to 30 positions are held back for grand marshals, official sponsors, entertainers and the like. So far 17 food vendors and 59 vending stalls have been registered. There is room for only 200 vendors altogether, so the committee is urging anyone interested in a stall to apply soon.
The route
The march is scheduled to move north on Fourth Avenue at 11 a.m. from the parade staging area between Columbia and Union streets. It will turn west on Denny Way and then end at the Seattle Center.
The official viewing stand will be in Westlake Park. Seattle television station KSTW-11, will have "newsbreaks" all weekend concerning the three-day event and will broadcast the parade Sunday evening in Seattle and throughout Western Washington through regional sister stations.
A member of the audience speculated that participation may be up in part because of the television coverage. Sponsorship interest is also high, with Seattle Center co-sponsoring the event (now the Center's largest festival), Subaru, Wells-Fargo Bank and UPN 11 as title sponsors (a title sponsor donates more than $50,000) and several more title sponsors in negotiation.
"We have like four times the amount of sponsorship this year as last year," Kershner said. "We're enthused about that."
Events at Seattle Center will begin at 5 p.m. Friday with concert headliner Angie Stone. Stone, a singer and songwriter, recently played Big Mama Thornton in the New York production of "Chicago." Saturday events, from 11 a.m. to midnight, will include rhythm-and-blues artist Jodie Watley. A full schedule of events will be available soon. Contracts are still under negotiation.
"We've got dozens and dozens of local bands," Kerschner said, adding that popular DJ Chris Cox will spin at Fischer Plaza and the International Fountain between 4 p.m. and midnight on Saturday.
Not actually part of Gay Pride, but working in conjunction with it, KISS 106 is planning a concert in the Key Arena to begin Sunday evening just after Seattle Out and Proud ends.
More transport
Metro Transit is involved in the event this year in more than a simple scheduling capacity. There will be increased bus service between Capitol Hill and Seattle Center to handle expected traffic, and will distribute 40,000 free-ride coupons during the parade.
Also, this year's event will be the most ADA-friendly (Americans with Disabilities Act) ever. Last year was the first time special seating areas were set aside for wheelchairs during the parade. More areas, with larger capacity, will be set aside this year as well.
Seattle Out and Proud is a year-round all-volunteer organization. As with any volunteer organization, it needs help staging this year's Seattle Pride event, not just during the event, but for work leading up to the event as well. Volunteer help is needed for marketing, selling advertising and entertainment coordination, among other things. To volunteer, go to the Seattle Out and Proud Web site, www.seattlepride.org, and click on the volunteer button.
Korte Brueckmann is a freelance writer living on Capitol Hill. He can be reached at editor@capitol hilltimes.com.
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