PRIDE GUIDE 1997

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

C-3

West Virginia holds its first lesbian-gay pride parade

by Gregory Proctor

Charleston-A gay pride parade? In West Virginia? Is this a mixed-up editing job or what?

No, you read it right. West Virginia's first Statewide Pride Parade and Festival will happen in Charleston on June 22. Lesbian,

JUNE 22, 1997

WEST VIRGINIA PRIDE

CHARLESTON

logo will be available the day of the parade.

Marchers should assemble Sunday at 1:30 pm at Haddad Riverfront Park, behind the city courthouse on Kanawha Blvd. The parade begins at 2:00 pm and will proceed east about a mile and a half through the city's historic East End to the Capitol.

A mini-festival including numerous vendors, guest speakers, and live entertainment will be held on the Capitol grounds once all of the marchers arrive. Two very special West Virginians will be presented with the Power of One Medal of Honor. Marchers are encouraged to bring a basket lunch which can be left with parade marshals on the capitol grounds beginning at 11:00 am.

Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on city streets or on the Capitol grounds. There has been a concerted effort among

several groups in West Virginia, led by the West Virginia Lesbian and Gay Coalition since 1993, to adopt civil rights protection for sexual orientation minorities. Event organizers hope the parade and festival will encourage more support for gay rights laws and demonstrate that West Virginia has a strong and vibrant community, and that no one should feel like a second class citizen.

Charleston is easily accessible via interstate highway--it's where Interstates 64, 77, 79 and Appalachian Corridor G come together. The city has become somewhat of a convention center for small-to-medium size organizations, so it can easily handle the number of people parade organizers expect will attend.

The surrounding area is famed for its natural beauty. White water rafting on the

New and Gauley Rivers is just an hour away, and one of the largest public recreation areas in West Virginia, Kanawha State Forest is just ten minutes from downtown.

Charleston is compact and easy to get around in it's almost impossible to get lost and boasts recreation attractions of its own like the Charleston Town Center shopping mall, turn-of-the-century Capitol Street, trolley rides through historic neighborhoods and steamboat rides on the P.A. Denny sternwheeler.

Several parking garages, including the ones for Town Center Mall, are within a few blocks of the parade staging area. For travel, sightseeing and lodging information, call 800-CALL-WVA (800-225-5982). For specific questions about the parade and festival call 304-345-9938.

PARADE AND FESTIVAL

gay, transgender, bisexual and straight Mountaineers and a handful of out-of-state guests will parade along Charleston's scenic Kanawha Boulevard to celebrate this unique event on the grounds of the State Capitol.

Organized by the Pride West Virginia Committee, the event has secured commitments for a dozen or so groups that will march with a banner-a few even say they'll have a float. Groups as diverse as the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia, the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Appalachian Metropolitan Community Church, Dignity WV, P-FLAG and, of course, Mountain State Bears will be participating.

The committee also asked for and got a letter from Charleston mayor G. Kemp Melton welcoming parade and festival goers. Several corporate sponsors have signed on to provide financial support. A parade and festival program will be given out to marchers to commemorate the event. T-shirts with the event

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