Pride Guide 2002 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Cleveland Pride expands with youth spaces

by Anthony Glassman

Cleveland-Northeast Ohio's LGBT community will "Think Outside the Triangle" for the 14th Annual Lesbian-Gay-Bi-Trans Pride on June 15.

The pre-parade rally will start at 1 pm at E. 18th St. and Euclid Ave. Speakers at the rally will include Pride president Bob Krabbe, Willow Witte from Cleveland State University, Craig Tame of the City of Cleveland and Ward 13 Councilmember Joe Cimperman.

Also speaking will be Mark Tumeo of Heights Families for Equality, the group formed to protect Cleveland Heights' benefits for domestic partners of city employees. Linda Malicki, the departing executive director of the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center will also speak, along with Ken Walton, the president of Prime Timers Cleveland, and Tyree Coats and Charles Walker speaking to youth. The Rev. Irene Monroe from Harvard Divinity School will also speak.

The parade will step off at 2 pm and head to Voinovich Park, at the tip of the East 9th St. Pier in Lake Erie, where the festival will continue until 8 pm.

This year's festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with an area devoted exclusively to LGBT youth, featuring teen band Rude Staff Checkers, made up primarily of students from Cleveland Heights High School, Doug Wood, Randi Driscoll from Los Angeles playing her pop sound, Cleveland performance poet Kaoz and more.

The performers in the Youth Zone will also play the main stage, along with Amy Collins, Mr. and Ms. Black Gay Ohio, comedian Eddie Sarfaty, bisexual activist and speaker Skott Freedman, Speechlés, Rachael Sage, Karen Williams and jazz vocalist Trinity.

Cleveland Pride coordinator Brynna Fish was thrilled about the line-up of acts playing at Pride, especially that they reflect all the faces of the LGBT community.

"Trinity is a drag performer who introduces the jazz world and the gay world to each other," she noted. "Rachael Sage is a

JANET MAKOSKA

ORTH COAST MEN'S CHORUS

Cleveland's Pride parade steps off from East 18th and Euclid.

bisexual woman who sounds like a cross between Jewel, Natalie Merchant, Alanis and Tori Amos."

"This is Skott Freedman's third Cleveland Pride. He likes our Pride so much, he keeps asking to come back," Fish continued. "Randi Driscoll wrote a song about Matthew Shepard and got hooked up with the Matthew Shepard Foundation. She plays for free and just asks that Pride festivals have à table for the Matthew Shepard Foundation."

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Wrapping up the performances will be dance diva Kristin W, continuing the tradition of big dance acts. Last year's headliner was Ultra Naté.

The dance stage, which begins at 3 pm, will feature music provided by the new Grid and Orbit nightclub.

There will also be a drag show at 3:30 pm, featuring a special appearance by Trinity.

In addition, a children's pavilion, senior space, food court and beer garden will provide a place for everyone at the Pride festival. Cleveland Pride is not, however, just the parade and festival. A number of events surrounding Pride add to the festivities.

The annual pool tournament, for instance, began June 3 and wraps up on June 13.

The official Pride kick-off party will be held on Friday, June 14 at the new Grid, 1437 St. Clair Ave., featuring the turntable skills of DJ Jerry Szoka. The party starts at 10 pm. The next night, DJ Monty Q spins for the official Pride after-party at Bounce, 2814 Detroit Ave., also at 10 pm.

The day after Cleveland Pride will be filled with activities, as well. At 9 am, there will be a 5k run and walk sponsored by Frontrunners in Edgewater Park; registration is at 8 am.

At 5:30 pm, Rev. Irene Monroe will lead a Pride interfaith worship service at Trinity Cathedral, E. 22nd Street and Euclid Ave.

For more fun, toss on a red shirt or pride colors and head to Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky for the unofficial LGBT Day.

For more information on any Cleveland Pride events, log onto their web site at http:/ /www.clevelandpride.org, or call the information line at 216-371-0214. .

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