DURHAM, N.C. — With the sun shining and a nice breeze, the 23rd annual NC Pride Festival hit the streets of Durham and the Duke University East Campus on Sept. 29.
The festival drew between 6,000 to 7,000 excited and energetic participants according to Festival spokesperson Keith Hayes.
Along with an all-time record of 160 participating businesses, non-profit organizations and other associations in the vendor fair, the festival attracted students, community members and business and political leaders.
A celebrity appearance from Raleigh native Randy Jones, better known as the “Cowboy” of the Village People, surprised the crowd with rousing renditions of “Y.M.C.A.” and other 70s favorites.
As in years past, the parade featured fantastic floats and other fun sights. Duke University students rode a float made for the Human Rights Campaign. Other riders threw out Mardi Gras beads, candy or other treats to the crowds.
Student and college groups from around the state marched and showed their solidarity. From the western mountains all the way to the eastern portions of the state, college organizations lined up and took to the street with rainbow flags and banners.
The LGBT student organization from N.C. Central University (NCCU), COLORS, was the only organized student group from an historically and predominantly African-American university at the festival.
“I felt a sense of pride in knowing that we can come together collectively as one body regardless of race, nationality or religion,” said senior Brandon Sims, president of NCCU’s COLORS. “Everyone was coming together and celebrating as one people.”
“This was our first year marching in the parade,” he added, “We really enjoyed ourselves and we are going to make it so that every year COLORS can be a part the parade.”
iNSIDEoUT, a relatively new queer youth group based in the Triangle, marched with huge numbers of youth from the Triangle’s various high school gay-straight alliances and other diversity clubs.
About two dozen protesters also lined the street. This was the second year festival-goers contended with an angry tirade from the Concord-based Operation Save America, known for targeting many LGBT events around the Carolinas.
For most attendees, though, the protestors had no influence on the fun and sense of community they felt. Some were willing to simply ignore them.
“I do support the right to free speech,” said Kelly Henry, a Greenville, S.C., college student who travelled to Durham for the event. “I’m not going to interrupt theirs and I’m not going to let them interrupt mine.”
One parade marcher with the Fellowship of Faith in Greensboro walked right past the brouhaha. As he did, he sang “Jesus Loves Me” with a solemn, proud tone.
The festival’s opening remarks were given by N.C. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird (D-23), one of many supporters the LGBT community now has in Raleigh. The parade’s grand marshall was community advocate Gary Palmer, a vice president at Greensboro’s Replacements, Ltd.
One Pride Festival staple many participants might have missed was the annual Pride Guide, published by festival organizers. The guide acts as a yearly resource and includes articles, resource listings and paid advertisements. According to Hayes, the Pride Guide arrived late and was only available to festival-goers at the end of the event. He also said the Guide will be distributed across the state. Hayes said he had not heard any complaints regarding the Guide’s late delivery at the festival.
Next year’s festival is again set for the end of September.
For video from the parade, see this article online at www.q-notes.com. |
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