PRIDE GUIDE 1996

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE C-3

Detroit's Pride Fest moves to the great OUTdoors

by Dawn Leach

For the last quarter of a century, Detroit has had an annual tradition of celebrating gay pride. This year will be no exception.

The second annual Pride Fest Eve Party will kick off the celebrations on Saturday June 1 at the Rainbow Room at 6640 East Eight Mile Road, east of Mound, next to the railroad tracks. Maggie Cassella and Mollyboy, the two featured performers for Pride Fest will provide the Pride Fest Eve entertainment.

Maggie Cassella is a lawyer by day and a national lesbian comic by night. She has worked with Lea Delaria, tangled with Rush Limbaugh and performed across the continent, including shows in New York, San Francisco, Los Ange-

les, Boston, Atlanta, Toronto, Washington, Northampton, and Provincetown. Metroline Magazine described her as a "wild, wicked, funny woman"

Mollyboy is a musician from New York who has been called the "male Bette Midler." He sings high-energy pop, ballads and new music. His background includes rock, R&B, a cappella and roof-raising church gospel music. He is a former member of the quintet "Sons & Lovers." Mollyboy is looking for "two silent backup hunks who he plans to call Joe and Tom."

Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 7:30. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at A Woman's Perogative Bookstore at 175 W. Nine Mile Rd,

Detroit's first Black Gay Pride to be "Hotter than July'

Leaders in Detroit's African-American gay and lesbian community have organized the city's first gay pride for people of African descent. The event, named Detroit '96, Hotter Than July!, is scheduled for July 23 through July 28 at various venues throughout the city

Popular social gatherings and charity events such as the Billionaires Boys Club Anniversary Dinner Party and Brunch, and Men of Color Motivational Group's Picnic and Charity Body Auction have successfully brought African-Americans from around the country to Detroit for over five years to network with Detroit's gay community.

Sensing the perfect opportunity to expand and package the sporadic activities into a full-scale gay pride for people of African descent, community leaders formed the Hotter Than July Planning Committee to orga-

nize the sponsors and promote the week.

Detroit '96, Hotter than July participants include the Men of Color Motivational Group, Audre Lorde Collective, Billionaires Boys Club, Kick Publishing Company, Project Survival, Baldwin-Parker Society, Author's, Ladies of a Current Affair, and Full Truth Unity Fellowship Church. Each community organization will sponsor a variety of activities throughout the week.

Detroit '96, Hotter Than July, will be hosted at the newly renovated Crown Plaza Ponchartrain Hotel on Detroit's scenic riverfront. Reservations can be made directly by calling 800-227-6963, ask about the Hotter than July special rate. For more information write to: Detroit '96, Hotter than July Planning Committee, P.O. Box 3025, Detroit, Michigan 48231, or leave name and address at 313-438-0704 Extension 1. ✔

Celebrate Pride at Erie's Presque Isle picnic

The fifth annual Pride Erie Picnic is scheduled for Saturday, June 8 at Presque Isle State Park, Shelter 2, near the waterworks and across from the Beach 6 area beginning at 1 pm and lasting until sundown.

The picnic, sponsored in the past by a more or less defunct community-building group called Bridges, has been organized by a coalition of people from North Coast Rainbow Families, P-FLAG Erie, the League of Gay and Lesbian Voters, and others.

The event this year will be family friendly, with games and activities for all ages and interests. Those attending are asked to bring a dish to share, your own table service and if you wish, rollerblades, bikes, beach accessories, or other games for adults and kids. Volleyball and horseshoes will be provided, as well as hot

dogs, hamburgers, condiments, and beverages.

Groups and organizations are encouraged to bring info for distribution at the information tables.

Admission is free, but as always, donations will be gratefully accepted.

Please note that alcohol is not permitted on Presque Isle. In the event of rain, the picnic will proceed as scheduled-the picnic shelter is large enough to accomodate quite a crowd in case of inclement weather.

Presque Isle is located at the northern terminus of Peninsula Drive, Penna. Route 832, and is easily accessable from Interstate 90-take Exit 5, which is Penna. 832, and travel north.

Call Elaine at 814-864-0184 or Greg at 814-833-3258 for further information.✔

Pittsburgh PrideFest promises larger Shadyside festival

Pittsburgh PrideFest '96 will take place Saturday, June 22 with the theme, "Pride Without Borders."

Thousands of people will march through Shadyside and party in Mellon Park during the festival for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered communities. Mellon Park is bordered by Shady and Fifth Aves., and Beechwood Blvd. This will be the second year the event has been held in Shadyside.

This year's festivities promise to be even

bigger and better than 1995, with a larger parade, more entertainment, more vendors and information booths, and more fun to be had by all. The event is wheelchair-accessible, and all main stage speakers and performers will be sign language interpreted. Admission is free.

For more information about how to get to Pittsburgh Pride, call the Three Rivers Pride Committee at 412-422-3060. ♡

Ferndale (1st block west of Woodward Ave), Chosen Books at 120 W. 4th St. in Royal Oak, or at the Rainbow Room.

The celebration resumes on Sunday, June 2 at Pride Fest, "OUTrageous! & OUTside" sponsored by South East Michigan Pride. The festival has outgrown last year's indoor location, so this year it has been moved outside to show Detroit what a proud gay community it has. The festival will be at the Oakland Community College Royal Oak Campus, downtown at the corner of S. Washington Ave and Lincoln Rd.

Pride Fest will take place from noon till 7:00 pm with live entertainment all day. In addition to stand up comedy by Maggie Cassella and music by Mollyboy, there will be guest speakers, including Mike Gaudreau, coordinator for the Triangle Foundation's AntiViolence Project, Karen Fenwick, President of

Detroit P-FLAG, and Jaron Bryant, the youth mentor coordinator for Affirmations, Detroit's lesbian and gay community center. Some members of Michigan's legislature may also make surprise appearances.

There will be over seventy five vendors. Food and beverage will be provided by Pronto 608. The Lambda Car Club will put on a classic car display. Admission to Pride Fest is $5 and parking is free.

To get to Pride Fest:

Take I-75 through Detroit to I-696 West. From I-675, take the Main St, Royal Oak exit (which is the second exit off of I-696). Turn right at the light at the top of the exit ramp, heading north about half a mile to Lincoln Rd. Turn left on Lincoln.

Look for Pride Fest on Lincoln between Main and Washington. There is parking on Lincoln Rd.

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