DOREEN CUDNIK

PRIDE GUIDE 1998

ROSELAND

GUEST HOUSE & CAMPGROUND

RD. 1, Box 185B

Proctor, West Virginia 26055

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

C-9

OPEN YEAR

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Kick Back & Relax in West Virginia Mountains

222 Secluded Acres Scenic Views Hiking & Camping

Peace and Quiet Pool

Hot Tub

Clothing Optional Catering to Gay Men Theme Weekends

Marchers arrive at the state capitol during last year's Pride march in Charleston.

West Virginia Pride will move mountains

by Doreen Cudnik

Charleston, W.V.-If you missed the first-ever Pride in Charleston last year, you truly missed an event that will be remembered by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Mountaineers for years to come.

The second annual West Virginia Statewide Pride Parade and Festival will be held June 19-21 in downtown Charleston, nestled along the beautiful Kanawha River. Building on the success of last year's event, the theme for Pride '98 is "Pride Moves Mountains!"

The weekend of Pride will begin on Friday, June 19 with a kick-off party at the Tap Room, 1022 Quarrier Street. From 6 to 9:30 pm, everyone is invited to get acquainted, and enjoy a fabu-

lous buffet. T-shirts, maps and guides to the various Pride events will be distributed. The cost is $2.

Also on Friday, June 19, from 10 pm until closing, the Grand Palace at 617 Brooks Street will host the final competition of the Miss Pride of West Virginia '98 Pageant. The best female impersonators from around the Mountain State will compete for the crown and a $1,000 grand prize. These finalists are winners of preliminary pageants held in Charleston, Huntington, Wheeling,. Parkersburg and Morgantown. The cost for this event is $7.

Make sure you get enough sleep after the pageant, because on Saturday, June 20, Pride continues with an all-day concert at Haddad Riverfront Park, on Kanawha Blvd. between Court and Summers Sts. From 4 until 11:30 pm, come and listen to the lineup of Marsha Stevens, Carpentar Ants, J.R, Kirk, 3rd Window, Wishing Chair, and Sonia Rutstein, formerly of disappear fear. A mere $5 covers the cost for this event. A post-concert party, featuring a DJ and special performances, will be

AWARE

THE

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107.3

Sunday Evenings at 11:30pm

held from midnight until closing at the Broadway, 620 Broad St.

The biggest event of the weekend takes place on Sunday, June 21, when once again members and friends of West Virginia's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community march to the steps of the state capitol. The parade will line up at 2 pm at the Haddad Riverfront Park. The march to the capitol is approximately 11⁄2 miles.

Once all of the marchers arrive at the capitol, let the festival begin! The festival will feature music and other performances, vendor booths, and the presentation of the Power of One Medal honoring

two West Virginians for their outstanding service to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and

transgendered community.

For those who want to "get their groove on" for a good cause, also on Sunday, June 21, Trax at 504 Washington Street West will be open from 4 pm until dusk for the "Trax Dance for Those Who Can't." The dance will help raise funds for West Virginia's AIDS Memorial

Garden, and will include a buffet and soft drinks. The bar will also be open for those preferring the harder stuff. Cost is $15, but it is a fundraiser, and a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible.

Because the pride committee is expecting a much bigger turnout at events this year, a Pride '98 Weekend Pass is available for $40. The pass includes admission to the kick-off party, the Miss Pride of West Virginia '98 Pageant and the all-day concert, and also includes a T-shirt. Passes can be purchased by calling the pride committee at 304-345-9938, or e-mail pridewv@wvinter.net.

(Please note that tickets for the Trax dance are not included in the pass and must be purchased separately. Call 304-346-0246 for details.)

Why Humor Heals! O JUNE 7, 1998