From kevyn@KSUVM.KSU.EDUSat Jul 8 17:03:04 1995 Date: Fri, 7 Jul 1995 17:30:55 -0500 (CDT) From: Kevyn Jacobs To: "Kansas Queer News [KQN]" Subject: NT: Pride Celebrated in Region (Late!) EXCERPTED FROM THE NEWS-TELEGRAPH JUNE 9 - 22, 1995 ================================= LESBIAN AND GAY PRIDE CELEBRATED IN REGION by Lisa Marie Neff This month, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgendered community will celebrate their pride in festivals and parades around the world--from Berlin, Germany to Columbia, Missouri, from Sydney, Australia to Topeka, Kansas. In the News-Telegraph region, celebrations are planned in Columbia, Springfield and Kansas City, Missouri and Wichita and Topeka, Kansas; and there are many more celebrations in the major cities just outside the region. [NON-KANSAS MATERIAL DELETED] TOPEKA, KANSAS In Topeka, LesBiGay Pride Week '95 is the first Pride celebration in the city in several years. The series of events begins with a talent show and ice cream social on June 18 and culminates with a free picnic on June 25. In between these events, is a variety show on June 22 featuring at least fourteen performances of dance, music and dramatic interpretation. This year's celebration is presented by Unity and Pride Alliance, a group formed last fall to encourage community unity and work on educational campaigns. A group of about fifteen people worked on organizing Pride week. "It's been several years since anything happened," said volunteer Sam Van Leeuwen, a founder of the alliance. "From what I understand, Topeka used to have a lot of activity. Apparently the (Fred) Phelps crusade had a chilling effect on the community." Van Leeuwen expects Phelps and his picketers to attend some of the Pride events but he hopes the activity will not deter Pride-goers. He says organizers want to see several hundred people at Lake Shawnee shelter house number five for the picnic, at which free food and beverage will be provided from 2-6 pm. Tickets to the Into the Rainbow variety show are $3 and are available at local bars, the Topeka AIDS Project and at the show, which is set for 8 pm at White Concert Hall. The ice cream social and talent show is at 5:50 pm at Metropolitan Community Church. WICHITA, KANSAS In Wichita, the Pride activities are planned from June 9 through June 18. The week begins with a bar hop and a Welcome to Wichita Shindig. A second shindig is set for 1-6 pm on June 10 at the South Forty. Also on June 10 is the Royalty Crowning at 8 pm. The highlights on June 11 are a Gay Comedy Jam at 4:30 pm and a Video Fest at 7 pm at the Center. At 8 pm on June 12, Pride organizers present disappear fear at the Freedom Cafe. Also scheduled for 8 pm on June 12 is the Priscilla Party--featuring screenings of The Women and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert--at the South Forty. Other Wichita Pride events include a skating party, 7 pm, June 13, Skate South; Fantasy's Tropical Night pool party, 6 pm, June 15, Our Fantasy Complex; Come Out and Dance, 8 pm, June 16, the Center; BBQ, 12-6 pm, June 18, Dreamers- buffet, 6:30 pm, June 18, Side Street Saloon and Video Fest, 7 pm, June 18, the Center. The Pride parade, rally and festival is set for June 17, the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. The rally takes place at 11 am in front of the historic courthouse at Central and Main streets. Organizer Kristi Parker said Franklin Fry of Stonewall 25, Marlene Colburn of the New York Lesbian Avengers are two of numerous speakers scheduled to attend the rally. Immediately after the rally, at 12:30 pm, Lesbians and Gays will begin a march from the courthouse to Old Cowtown, where PrideFest '95 will take place. Parker says the festival will last until about 8 pm. [NON-KANSAS MATERIAL DELETED] ========================================================== Permission granted by the News-Telegraph for distribution to the KQN email list (KQN@casti.com), and archiving in the Queer Resources Directory (QRD) on the Internet (http://www.qrd.org/qrd). For News-Telegraph subscription information (published twice a month), please call 1.816.561.6266, or email: newstele@aol.com ==========================================================