Seattle Pride parade draws a crowd

[gateley]

(I heard it was REALLY hot in Seattle today, so there will be a lot of sunburned folks reaching for the aloe tomorrow!)

The 34th annual Seattle Pride Parade roared back to heart of downtown Sunday, as thousands of spectators turned out for a three-hour spectacle of outré and the ordinary.

Organizers of Seattle's showcase gay and lesbian event almost pulled the plug on it last year after racking up more than $100,000 in debt after they moved the parade and an accompanying festival out of Capitol Hill, the epicenter of Seattle's gay community, in 2006.

Seattle Out and Proud, the nonprofit that runs the parade, said it will turn a profit from the event. The group is paying off its previous debt, racked up in connection with the festival, not the parade, in installments. A private company has taken over the festival, which was held Sunday at Seattle Center

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008024260_webgayparade30m.html


There is a gallery of some GREAT Pride parade photos from around the world at the link. :hi:

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Heat does not mean sunburn

Although it was clear and very, very bright, yes. I was about half way along the parade route, and there were people marching by who were already painfully sunburned. The problem is that this weekend was the first real period of warm weather we've had this year, so no one has had time to build up a protective tan. Anyway, Seattle folk don't tan; we rust.

The parade was great: it was very nice not having beer trucks every fifth or sixth entry. Even so, it was a lot tamer than it used to be, as the move from Capitol Hill to downtown has pushed organizers to mainstream it for a more general audience. I think it's rather sad, actually, that what was once an expression of pride and diversity has been sanitized for public consumption.

The festival was a total bomb as far as I'm concerned. It used to be that there were many artisans and community groups set up; it was as much a crafts fair and organizing event as it was a rally and performance venue. Apparently the organizers felt they needed to charge so much for booth space that no artisans and very few political groups were present. It was mostly big-name commercial enterprises and some food stands.

[insleeforprez]

2. Perhaps

but the fountain was amaaaaaazing.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. Don't get me wrong, the eye-candy was tasty

And yes, the International Fountain is a lot of fun even on less festive occasions. I had a fantastic day, but the Pride Parade and Festival of years past, it was not.


For those who are not familiar with the Seattle Center and the International Fountain, click here for a picture (look at the sidebar.) It is an interactive art piece very popular in the summer months.

Edited to fix link.

[gateley]

5. SUN means sunburn in Seattle -

and since I'm probably comfortably your elder, you have to let me say that. When I was growing up, it was actually believed that in order to get a tan, you had to burn first! Every year, first day of sun, we'd hit the pool, lake, back yard and just FRY ourselves. Thankfully we became wiser over the years, but still, there's something about that first day in Seattle after an extended period of gray....

That's too bad about how the event has changed -- kind of like the Bite was small and held at Greenlake in the first days... I participated (just showed up, really, and cheered) for the past 15 or so years before I moved from Seattle.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Some photos

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/picks.asp?ID=100

Added:

Christine Gregoire, Governor of Washington and the first sitting governor to be Grand Marshal of any pride parade in the United States.
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/picks.asp?ID=100&page=21

Some shots of the International Fountain
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/picks.asp?ID=100&page=37
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/latest.asp?photoID=1002725
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/latest.asp?photoID=1002724

And did I mention eye-candy?
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/picks.asp?ID=100&page=38
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/picks.asp?ID=100&page=40
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/picks.asp?ID=100&page=43

My favorite picture
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/spied/picks.asp?ID=100&page=51

[gateley]

6. Thanks for the pics!

I really miss Seattle and am determined to move back home.

Things like Christine Gregoire being the first Governor in the country to be the grand marshal -- that's the Seattle that's in my heart and of which I'm so proud.