Double the Pride Again this Year

A meeting was held today between rival Seattle Pride factions and after last year's fancy, new and successful Downtown Pride we assumed that the result of this meeting would be the announcement of this year's fancy, new-ish and (financially) successful Downtown Pride. Despite the money problems that Seattle Out and Proud, the organizers of last year's events, have run into since then--they own Seattle Center a hundred grand--and despite the on-again, off-again stutter steps of this year's events, we were relatively confident that something would be worked out.

That optimism was based on nothing, of course, because we know nothing about the machinations behind this stuff.

SOaP, the LGBT Community Center and city council members Clark and Rasmussen entered a room this morning. The two factions, one responsible for last year's Downtown parade and the other convinced that a Capitol Hill Pride event is necessary, entered a meeting at city hall, some diplomatic magic happened, and from the mists emerged...two Pride parades! One is set for Downtown on Saturday, June, 24, and the other is happening at the exact same time only a day earlier on the Hill.

From the Stranger:

“Look at it this way,” said Clark. “You have many things to choose from for pride weekend, and you can set alarm at 10 AM for both days.”

In this morning’s meeting the LGBT Community Center argued that their parade will be distinct from SOaP’s. “Shannon was clear that her thing is supposed to be more of a political march,” said Clark, “and less of a colorful celebration or a ‘parade.’ They’re doing something different, and they’re not interested in competing. They’re just trying to respond to community members that say they want pride events on Capitol Hill.”

Rasmussen is confident that Seattle’s two pride parades will be distinct.

From Seattle Gay News:

*The two groups will hire a spokesperson to speak for both groups.

*The two groups will work cooperatively to collect sponsorships. Cindy Baccetti, who has been consulting with SOAP on sponsorships for their event, will lead the effort.

So is this the final word then? Doubt it. For one thing this agreement doesn't make provisions for any kind of post-parade celebration at Seattle Center, which we all know is happening.

Meanwhile, in Oregon, something important happened.