Atlanta is a Gay Pride mecca to Angela Gabriel.

"Sometimes I think Atlanta is the norm," says Gabriel, co-owner of Charis Books and More. "I've had out-of-town visitors tell me they don't have Pride events."

JOEY IVANSCO / AJC/2003 photo (ENLARGE)

Philip Rafshoon of Outwrite Books in Midtown

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The East Atlanta bookstore will have a float in Sunday's Atlanta Pride Parade.

"I just feel very lucky that here I can be who I am and what I am and I don't have to worry about it. I forget there are places where people are really scared and not accepted for who they are," Gabriel adds.

In addition to Atlanta, several cities celebrate Gay Pride year round. Philip Rafshoon, who owns Outwrite Bookstore and Coffeehouse in Midtown, recommends New York City's Pride celebrations. He attended the event last weekend.

"It rained but I loved it," says Rafshoon. "It was my first time, because it's always the same weekend as here. It's a larger city so it gets a broad base of support from all forms of government. And there were no protesters. I get protesters here across the street."

Here's a look at gay and lesbian focused events held across the country.

• Atlanta Pride Parade. Starts at 1 p.m. Sunday with a procession of floats, marchers and motorcycles from Midtown to downtown Atlanta. 770-491-8633, www.atlantapride.org.

• Atlanta Black Gay Pride Weekend. Aug. 27-Sept. 2 at the W Hotel Midtown, 188 14th Street, N.E. Atlanta. 404-892-6000, www.inthelifeatl.com.

• Gay Days at Disney World. More than 140,000 folks flock to Orlando, Fla. for city parties and theme-park fun. June 3-9, 2009. 407-942-9329, www.gaydays.com.

• San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration. June 27-28, 2009. Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. 415-864-0831, www.sfpride.org.

• Provincetown Vacation. At the tip of Cape Cod, the resort town boasts that "gay life is everywhere" and offers recreation, arts and leisure activities. Provincetown, Mass. www.ptown.org.

• Gay Days Anaheim 2008. Disneyland celebrates its 10th annual event Oct. 3-5. Anaheim, Calif. 714-781-4000, www.gaydaysanaheim.com.

• Adult Summer Camp. A getaway for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender adults, that includes hiking, campfire songs, ghost stories and more. 'Camp' Camp is located in southwestern Maine. 888-924-8380, www.campcamp.com.

• Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. April 24-May 3, 2009. This year's festival was presented by HBO and included more than 30 films. 305-534-9224, www.mglff.com.

• New York City Pride. June 2009. Last weekend's celebration and parade drew hundreds of thousands of people. 212-807-7433, www.nycpride.org.

• Gay Pride Chicago Celebration 2009. June 28. Last weekend's celebration drew more than 450,000 people. 774-348-8243, www.chicagopridecalendar.org.

• Major League Pride. Travel to San Diego and support the Atlanta Braves against the Padres during Pride Night. At National Anthem PETCO Park, downtown San Diego, CA. Visit sandiego.padres.mlb.com/sd/ticketing/groups/pride_night.jsp.