Gay pride festival welcomes all

By Guy D’Astolfo

YOUNGSTOWN — Saturday’s gay pride festival will be the first in Youngstown, but its organizers vow that it won’t be the last.

“We plan on holding it every year,” said Anita Davis, festival coordinator. She said the goal is to raise consciousness.

“Most people have a stereotype image of gay people, and most of these preconceived images are negative,” she said. “We will give people a chance to see the real gay community. It’s all types of folks.”

The free festival will run from noon to 8 p.m. on Phelps Street, between West Commerce and West Federal streets, downtown. Pride Youngstown is the sponsor.

Everyone is welcome to attend the event, which is billed as alcohol-free and family-friendly. Davis noted that not all of the people who are involved in staging the festival are gay.

As with any festival, the biggest factor in getting a good turnout to

Saturday's event will be the weather. "We're hoping to get about 200

people," said Davis. ³But if 50 show up, or 2,000 show up, we would be

happy. Of course we¹d rather have 2,000."

Gay pride parades and festivals have been staged annually for decades in

most major cities, but never in Youngstown.

The Pride Youngstown festival will feature live entertainment, food and vendors. Hispanic, American, Italian and health food will be for sale, and artists and crafters will offer jewelry, perfumes, T-shirts and other items.

Here is the schedule of entertainment:

Noon: DJ Vince Hollywood

12:10 p.m.: Opening prayer, Rev. Martha Munson, First Unitarian Church; followed by local singers Sterling Anderson, Nikita Jones and Angel Lopez

12:30 p.m.: True Colors band

1 p.m.: Dreams of Hope, a children’s vocal group from Pittsburgh

1:20 p.m.: Lucas Hollywood and Christina Chaos, drag-queen performers

1:40 p.m.: singers AJ Twist and Evan Tastic

1:50 p.m.: Ivana Q, Britney Cheers, Ric, Anarkings and Paradise Monroe, drag-queen performers

2:40 p.m.: singer Jake Jagged

2:50 p.m.: dancer Slade Styles

3 p.m.: Oakland Center for the Arts

4 p.m.: Ricky Vega, drag king

4:25 p.m.: Trinity Vine

4:45 p.m.: Lucas Hollywood, drag king

5 p.m.: Ahrin Starr, Brandyn Chaos, Kendra Kidd, Kurt Vine, Lady C and Cameron, drag-queen performers

6 p.m.: crowning of Miss Gay Pride Youngstown

6:10 p.m.: Fiona Love, drag-queen performer

6:20 p.m.: local singers Roxas, Darko Chaos, Dontae Night, Kade, Ruby Tuesday and Tobias Styles

7:20 p.m.: comedian Terry Stills