Pride Guide, June 3, 2005

Pride Holiday brings many together for one great time

by Anthony Glassman

Columbus--One voice. One family. One community. One fight for equality.

After the pasting the LGBT community took in the unsuccessful fight against Issue 1 in last November�s election, Stonewall Columbus� Pride Holiday returns rejuvenated to show Ohio just how significant �One� can be, as it is the theme for this year�s celebration.

The 24th annual Pride Holiday expects 100,000 attendees, 20,000 more than last year�s estimates.

Following tradition, the parade will step off from Goodale Park at 1 pm on June 25, wending its way through downtown Columbus to the festival site at Bicentennial Park.

Once there, the festivities kick off in earnest, with a slate of entertainers giving new depth to the United States motto, E Pluribus Unum, �out of many, one.�

Mary Ann Brandt, the first lady of Columbus cabaret, and Marshall McPeek will emcee the Pride stage, bringing on local acts like the Columbus Women�s Chorus, the Stompers, the Flaggots, the Columbus Gay Men�s Chorus and the Capital Pride Band.

The central Ohio performers, however, are just the beginning.

Headlining the entertainment is dance diva Amber, whose �This is Your Night� has been an anthem in queer bars for almost a decade.

She will share the stage with a slew of other prominent acts, including Betty, whose recent appearances on Showtime�s The L Word have cemented their status as lesbian icons.

Josh Zuckerman will rock out, Ira Levi will have the crowd swooning with his R&B, and Gaye Adegbalola and Roddy Barnes will paint the town blue with their blues.

Of course, Stonewall Columbus� Pride Holiday doesn�t begin or end with the Pride parade and festival. An entire month of events surrounds it, including a Poker/Bike Run, vintage car, motorcycle and scooter show, a film premi�re, the Run for Pride 5K, interfaith fair, Rocking in the Streets, Dancing in the Streets and Voices of Color, among the dozens of events lighting up Columbus in June.

There is �One� place to find out about everything going on around Stonewall Columbus� 24th annual Pride Holiday, and that is www.stonewallcolumbus.org./Pride_2005.

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