The 41st Atlanta Pride Festival kicks off this weekend with marches, concerts, exhibits, drag shows, vendors and more. Sunday's parade is billed as Atlanta's largest, but it wasn't always.
"The very first Pride march in late spring of 1970 had 125 brave souls," said Stan Fong, historian and legacy chairman of the Atlanta Pride Committee. "Today, we easily have thousands of people coming out to participate in and enjoy the parade. One thing that I noticed that has stayed the same is that there will always be drag queens in pickup trucks."
Pride is well-known for a party atmosphere, but at heart, the festival continues to be an ongoing public demonstration supporting civil liberties for sexual minorities. It has long been an empowering experience for many who attend.
“I remember my first Pride,” said James Sheffield, Atlanta Pride's executive director.
“I was 17. I came from a small town in Georgia and saw for the first time people living free and open lives," he said. "I collected all my rainbow stuff and went home and put it all in a drawer, and that’s where it stayed. It’s nice to think of opening that drawer and imagining other possibilities for people who still live that way.”
The vast marketplace in Piedmont Park on Saturday and Sunday figures prominently in the festival’s outreach initiatives. The human rights exhibit on the bridge over Lake Clara Meer will focus on the evolution of the AIDS epidemic.
Other vendors will distribute information about health and social support resources, such as PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative, which offers access to health care for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
But pride is every bit a celebration as it is an expo of equal rights. If you go, these are a few highlights not to miss:
Friday
Atlanta Pride Kickoff Party at the Georgia Aquarium. 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Two DJs and Jujubee, a contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race," will perform in the Oceans Ballroom. Tickets $18 advance; $25 at the door.
Saturday
Children's show 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. Bud Light stage.
Atlanta Pride Car and Motorcycle Show 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. At the roadway inside Piedmont Park, between the 12th and 14th street gates.
The Coca-Cola stage hosts entertainment all day and into the evening starting at 2 p.m., including Michelle Malone at 5:30 p.m., Alexis Jordan at 6:25 p.m., Wynter Gordon at 7:55 p.m. and Deborah Cox at 8:45 p.m.
The third annual Trans March at 1:45 p.m. and the Dyke March at 6 p.m.
Sunday
Annual Atlanta Pride Parade, billed as the largest parade in the city. 1 p.m. from the MARTA Civic Center station.
Performances start at 3 p.m. with the last act going on at 7:05 p.m., including Beverly McClellan at 4:45 p.m. and Sir Ari Gold at 6:15 p.m., both on the Coca-Cola stage.
All events are free except the kickoff party. Use of MARTA is strongly encouraged. No pets. For more information, tickets and maps, go to www.atlantapride.org.
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