The Anchorage
PrideFest Festival took place
Saturday, June 20th, from noon
until 6 p.m. on the Delaney Park
Strip on the far west end of the park strip west of the
rose garden, not the I-L corridor by the flagpole this year.
The arrival of those marching in this year’s Celebrating
Diversity Parade will kick off the entertainment. All vendors
are requested to check-in no later than 10:00a.m. to determine
their space number. Please observe any Handicap and No Parking
signs.
The Festival stage
was located 50 feet west of the rose Garden this year,
centered north/south, and facing west. The stage featured
live entertainment throughout the day. The high-energy,
all-ages appropriate entertainment lineup included musicians,
dancers, drag performers, slam poets, and more. Previous
entertainers at the Festival have included the Fabulous
Kristara, the BearTones, rock & blues by Full Circle,
Underground Dance Company: Hip, hot, Veronica Page, Stray
Dogma, and a host of talented individual vocalists, dancers,
and Drag Divas.
The Festival Marketplace
included many local vendors, including GLBT service organizations,
local restaurants and food vendors, arts and crafts vendors,
Pride merchandise, and more. We always encourage you to
support these vendors who support the Alaska GLBT community
in so many ways.
A Kiddie Carnival
was added this year and sponsored by The Imperial Court
of All Alaska. We had lots of carnival type games such
as balloon darts, duck pond and ring toss as well as hula
hoop contests and an arts and crafts center where the
kids made sand art, did beading for necklaces, bracelets,
key chain etc. We had a booth that had face painting,
temporary tattoos and crazy hair. We also had a couple
of unique photo opportunities.
As always, the Festival
is FREE.
However, donations to Identity,
Inc. are always appreciated if you wish to help us
meet the ever-rising costs of producing a quality Gay
Pride Festival, or to help this GLBT non-profit service
organization who serves our community.