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.