Columbus celebrates allies and equality for two days

by Anthony Glassman

Columbus--Allies and Equality is the focus of the 31st annual Stonewall Columbus Pride Parade and Festival, again this year covering Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16, and again in the larger space provided by Goodale Park.

The parade will step off from Broad and High Street at noon on Saturday, making its way to Goodale Park for the second day of the festival and a completely separate entertainment line-up from the first day. This year?s grand marshal is Mayor Michael B. Coleman, who joined the Mayors for Marriage Equality campaign and is introducing a domestic partner registry in the city, along with city council.

The festival runs from 3 to 11 pm on Friday and 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday, with two stages each day providing a panoply of entertainment.

The Gazebo Stage on Friday, emceed by comedian Brooke Cartus, starts off at 4 pm with an open mike poetry slam, followed at 6 pm with Cher-e-Oke with Wayne Smith as Cher, followed by comedy with Cartus, Joseph Ivan and Ian Harvie.

At 9 pm, the music starts in the Gazebo with My Beloved Tragedy?s emo rock, followed by the quasi-camp of Hairplane?s lounge takes on 80s new-wave pop songs.

Over on the Shelterhouse Stage with WNND 103.5 DJ David Emerson as emcee, music rules the day, starting with the Pink Flamingos Band at 5 pm. Following that, the August?s bluesy, dirty rock rules the day before they hand the stage over to the ?ADD soul-pop? of Wonder Twin Powers. Ellie Lee will deliver a shot of blues before handing the stage over to The Voice?s Beverly McClellan, Friday?s headliner. Wrapping up Friday?s line-up is the booty-tastic Big Freedia and the Divas. Honestly, words aren?t enough. Just head over to http://bigfreedia.com. It?s either the funniest thing on earth, or the most offensive.

After the parade on Saturday, both stages return with complete line-ups. The Gazebo Stage starts at 1 pm, while the Shelterhouse Stage will get it going at noon.

On the Gazebo Stage, it starts off with the World Famous Weed Eaters, who will then hand the stage over to the Columbus Women?s Chorus. The Columbus Gay Men?s Chorus will then perform, followed by the Columbus Stompers. The Flaggots and the Capital Pride Band will perform over on Park Street before Alexis Antes takes the stage at 4 pm, followed by Crazy Weeps. Unecc?s Hit M Entertainment wraps up the programming on the Gazebo Stage at 5:30 pm.

The Shelterhouse Stage will again be emceed by David Emerson, starting off with some electropunk from Teen Fiction at noon. They will be followed by Lindsey Compton?s boozy R&B/hip-hop funk. The Josh Zuckerman Band follows, and will then be succeeded by Clevelander Dianna Chittester. Then come the Royal Renegades, followed by Winslow?s smooth, funky rock, then Alexis Stevens featuring Inferno and DSquared. Chrystina Sayers from Girlicious takes the stage before Saturday headliner Kristine W comes on at 5 pm.

After that, Wayne Smith brings some more Cher, and the Chicago Spirit Brigade will perform before the day ends with the Fabulous Johnson Brothers.

There will be a plethora of allies donating their talents to the cause of equality, so why not head out to Columbus Pride and check them out?

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