Saturday in the Park Pride returns this weekend

Approximately 3,000 people turned up for last year’s gay pride celebration in Esther Short Park, organizer Micheil MacCutcheon said — and when the event’s scheduled hours were over, many seemed reluctant to leave.

They never wanted the unique spirit of acceptance and diversity and just plain joy to end, he said.

“It’s a safe space and a great place to come spend time with family and friends and enjoy a free concert in the park,” he said. “It’s the broadest cross-section of this community you’ll ever see.”

MacCutcheon expects an even bigger, broader crowd on Saturday. This year is the 25th anniversary of the organizing group, which was created in 1993 to fight voter initiatives aimed at curtailing gay rights. But the group quickly realized it needed to be more than just political, MacCutcheon said.

“If we’re not out celebrating life and showing people that we’re just people, these initiatives will keep coming up” was the thinking at the time, MacCutcheon said.

The first Saturday in the Park Pride event was in 1994. Today, the public presence of LGBTQ people has never been greater, he said — and neither has the backlash.

“We’ve noticed that we’re getting more calls from people” reporting nasty incidents at street level, he said: lifelong residents who are just now experiencing name-calling and hostility from passersby or even their own long-standing neighbors. Those should always be reported to police, he said.

And, he noted, it’s pretty typical that Saturday in the Park Pride draws protesters. “Here’s the guy with the megaphone telling us we’re all sinners,” he said. “And here’s the student group.” There’s even been a pair of guys who videotape themselves badgering the oldest woman participant they can find, he said, and then getting “heroically” escorted away by security.

These days, MacCutcheon said, Vancouver police — who weren’t always supportive — are proud participants in the event. So are many local nonprofit groups, churches, corporations and vendors.

The event’s beer garden got discontinued a few years ago — because it’s expensive and not family-friendly — but you won’t have to walk far to find special, prideful cocktails and beers in the surrounding neighborhood. From the restaurant and bar at the Hilton Vancouver Washington to nearby brewpubs such as Loowitt and Heathen, MacCutcheon said, local retailers have been excited to show support. “Every single business we have talked to has stepped up,” he said.

That means they’ll offer “glitter beer,” he said. With edible glitter. Yes, in the beer.

Just realizing

McCutheon said the event draws lots of straight allies who want to show support. “We’re all just working to have a nicer life and a nicer community,” he said. “You get a real mix of people,” including plenty who wander over from the Vancouver Farmers Market to find out what all the fuss is about — and are glad to stay. There’s no fence, no gate, no admission ticket. Everything is open to everyone. “Not everyone who comes to it is gay,” he said.

But crucially, he added, the pride gathering is “a safe place for youth who are just realizing” where they fit in. Youth groups such as Triple Point and Janus Youth Services are always on hand, he said, with information booths and games to play. So is the Cascade Aids Project, offering STD testing in complete privacy and confidence, he said.

Gay Vancouver

Saturday in the Park Pride launches at 10 a.m., but runners and walkers may enjoy the warmup: the annual Lyles Myles 5K, raising money for AIDS/HIV charities including Martha’s Pantry, the Cascade Aids Project and Global Partners. The 5K starts at 8:30 a.m. in the park. (Saying Lyles Myles is “informal” is an understatement. Rule No. 1 is that founder Lyle Smith always wins.)

When the main event opens, American Sign Language interpreters will be available to accompany deaf and hard-of-hearing folks around the event for the first two hours. Politicians and candidates are welcome to meet and greet the public for the early slot only, he said.

The entertainment schedule wasn’t available by press time, but three live bands will play during the day: Living Skins, a punk group from Camas; There She Goes, a pop band; and Latin crowd-pleasers Son de Cuba. There will also be lots of entertainment and activities for children, including magicians, circus performers and face painting.

Saturday in the Park Pride ends at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m., the vacant theater space at 606 Main St. (formerly Magenta Theater) will host a Gay Vancouver pageant, where Mr., Mrs. and Ms. Gay Vancouver will be crowned. Tickets are $15 at the door.