It's that time again! Each year on Capitol Hill, Seattle's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community unites for the Seattle Pride Parade and Festival, a massive parade that is the city's second largest, behind only to Sea-Fair.
Attendance and participation is on the rise - more than 100,000 showed up for last year's festivities, and festival organizers anticipate an equally high turnout this year.
One of the most popular aspects to the parade, beyond recognition of pride and rights for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender, is the generous attention to the arts.
Under the theme 'Families We Make,' this year's march is dedicated to a community embracing and supporting each other.
"I think it's a real community feel this year," said Freedom Day Committee co-chair Melissa Holloway. "All of us have family, whether it be the zany cast of characters you are born into, or the ones that you have met who have become your family."
Here's a schedule of bands, performers, dance troupes who will be headlining this year's festival. Or you can check out the Freedom Day Committee's Web site at www.seattlepride.org.
Saturday, June 28
Noon until 6 p.m.,Volunteer Park Amphitheater
* Kim Acuna, a musical artist, is known for her blend of alternative rock, blues and jazz.
* BetterBiscuitDance is an outdoor performance that satirizes sports competitions. The Seattle group is known for its unique choreography and dance moves.
* Camille Bloom, a guitarist and vocalist, her style blends alternative rock and folk.
* Magdalen Hsu-Li, an Asian-American music artist, poet, painter and speaker fresh off her latest record, "Fire," is described in press materials as one of a few openly out bisexual Chinese-American singer-songwriters in the U.S.
* Brian Kimmel, a gay singer-songwriter inspired by Tori Amos, has many artistic feats to his name. They include being a trained pianist, a certified masseur, a poet and author of a New York Times article, "From Abuse to Peace."
* Morris Can Fly, a local band, combines, rock riffage, funkadelic backbeats and soaring, bluesy vocals. The band is gaining momentum on the local and national music charts, and won an award from the American Red Cross for its community service efforts post-9/11.
* Queen Bees is a troupe combining drag performance, cabaret, burlesque and spoken word.
* Mercedes Roberson wears many artistic hats, including poet and dancer, and has a diverse background in the performing and teaching arts.
* Bonnie Ste-Croix, a Quebec native and self-described music addict, brings soul, R&B and jazz to her eclectic music mix.
* Westward Expansion, a band combining rock, jazz, folk and funk, has already played all over Washington state before coming to the Pride Parade.
Sunday, June 29
Noon until 6 p.m.,Volunteer Park Amphitheater
* The Megamix, made up of disco divas Jeanie Tracy ("Don't Leave Me This Way"), Linda Imperial and Annie Stocking, promise an act hearkening back to the days of Studio 54. The group previously included the late Jo-Carol, an artist, songwriter and dancer who passed away earlier this month of an aneurysm.
* Brandi Carlile, a guitarist and pianist, is still in her early 20s but has recorded two CDs. She's joined by Keith Wright (lead guitar), Phil Georgas (bass) and Scott Mercado (drums, percussion, hammered dulcimer).
* Cheer Seattle, a nonprofit local cheer group, brings an upbeat mix of cheers, stunts and dance routines. They're also involved in local charities and fundraisers.
* DJ Millennium has an impressive background in music, choreography, remixing music and performing his mix spins for Nelly and many others.
* The Emerald City Bucks Clogging Team performs to various musical styles, including country, pop and techno.
* Tiana Noyes, a singer-songwriter, fuses folk, rock, funk and jazz.
* Rainbow City Band is a group of "gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender and gay-friendly instrumentalists and supporters" who will perform music at the festival.
* Rhythm Knights Dance Troupe creates jazz dance characteristics of the past and present. They performed during the Seattle Pride Festival of 1999 and 2000.
* The Seattle Men's Chorus is known locally as the state's largest choral group and globally as the largest gay men's chorus.
* Studfinder is known for poking fun at punk rock music as well as always producing songs lasting under three minutes.
* VamoLá, a drum and dance ensemble, blends samba, samba-reggae and maracatu.
* April Villaneuva, a 16-year-old singer, is compared to Jennifer Lopez, Aaliyah and Janet Jackson. She sang the National Anthem for a Sonics game when she was 11.
* Patricia Nell Warren, described as the most popular gay novelist of all time, will be signing copies of her books.
* Zah-Zu-Zay is a lindy hop - the original swing - performance team.
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