Indianapolis - Over 25,000 people are expected to attend this year's IN Pride 2007 Parade & Festival on Saturday, June 9, 2007. The theme of this year's celebration is Power of Pride. IN Pride 2007 is a celebration of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender pride. "This year we have expanded our events to provide for an entire week of celebration," stated Gary Brackett, Indy Pride President.

Del Shores Named Grand Marshall

"The parade will have over 16 floats, motorcycles, specialty units, the Pride of Indy Marching Band, and numerous walking groups," stated Scott Van Kirk, Indy Pride Vice President and Parade Coordinator. This year will mark the fifth consecutive year for the Parade. In honor of this milestone, this year's Grand Marshall will be writer/producer/actor/director, Del Shores. Shores has written, produced and directed episodes of Queer As Folk and Dharma and Greg but is probably best known for his play and film, Sordid Lives which has become a cult classic. Theatre On the Square will be re-staging Del Shore's play Southern Baptist Sissies in June as part of the IN Pride events. The play will open on Friday, June 8. Mr. Shore's will attend the opening night performance.

Activities & Events

Come and celebrate with The Power of Pride! The IN Pride 2007 GLBT events will be held during the week of June 2-10, 2007. The following events are being planned for the celebration.

Saturday, June 2 - Indiana Youth Group (IYG) with host an Open House & Cookout at their facility located at 2943 E. 46th Street (46th Street & Binford Blvd). Parking is available across the street in the former Osco parking lot. Come out and meet the youth and learn more about the programs offered at IYG. This is a great opportunity to find out what "pride" means to the younger members of the GLBT community. Those who are able are asked to bring a side dish, bread or dessert to share.


Sunday, June 3 - Indy Pride Skating Party from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. at Skateland, 3902 N. Glen Arm Road, Indianapolis (www.skatelandindy.com). Tickets are $7.00 which includes skate rental. The event will feature door prizes and activities. This event is open to all ages.

Tuesday, June 5- The Pride of Indy Band will hold a concert at 7:00 p.m. on the lawn at the Firehouse Museum (748 Mass Avenue) at the corner of College and Mass Avenue. The concert is free!

Friday, June 8 - IN Pride 2007 Seminar - This year's educational seminars will focus on the Changing Face of HIV/AIDS and Heart Disease & the LGBT Community. Co-sponsors of the educational seminars are the American Heart Association, The Damien Center and Step Up, Inc. The seminars will be held at the Phoenix Theatre (749 N. Park Avenue) beginning at 6:00 p.m. A reception, sponsored by the Indianapolis Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, will be held immediately following the seminars.

Saturday, June 9 - IN Pride 2007 Parade & Festival - The fifth annual GLBT Pride Parade kicks off the day on Saturday. The Parade will begin at the corner of College and Massachusetts Avenue and will continue down Massachusetts Avenue to Vermont Street. The parade will turn west onto Vermont Street and end at the Pride Festival at University Park. Parade assembly starts at 9:00 a.m. The parade step off will be at 10:00 a.m.

Immediately following the parade, the IN Pride 2007 Festival will be held in University Park (Vermont & Meridian Street). The Festival will feature a food court, alcohol/beverage tent, non-profit community organizations, merchant vendors, and entertainment stages. Vendors include: Lilly GLEAM; Dow Agrosciences; Cummins; AT&T/Cingular; Allstate Insurance; Subway; Primerica Financial. In addition to vendors, there will also be numerous churches, social organizations, and not-for-profit informational booths. Local, regional and national entertainers who will perform throughout the day include: Cathy Morris, Pride of Indy Marching Band, Indianapolis Men's Chorus, Indianapolis Women's Chorus, Cynthia Lane, Pride of Indy Jazz Ensemble, Indy Pride Drag Extravaganza, local DJs, Fredrick Ford, Amuka and Ultra Nate.

Sunday, June 10 - Picnic & T-Dance -The IN Pride 2007 Picnic will be held from 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 10 at the Pagoda at Garfield Park, 2450 South Shelby Street. Hotdogs and hamburgers will be served. Volleyball and "drag" games will be held. The picnic is free but donations to help defray costs will be requested. This year's picnic is co-sponsored by Indiana Black Pride.

IN Pride 2007 events will conclude with the 4th annual Back Alley T-Dance on the patio behind Metro Nightclub & Restaurant (707 Mass Avenue). The T-Dance starts at 4:00 p.m. Cover charge is $5.00.

"Last year, despite rainy, cold weather, we had over 25,000 people attend the Festival. We hope that this year's festival will be even larger and that the entire GLBT community will come out and support all the events," stated Gary Brackett, Indy Pride President.

Funds raised from Pride Events support Indy Pride Scholarships for GLBT youth in the State of Indiana; the Gregory Powers Direct Emergency Financial Assistance (DEFA) Fund; and Indiana Youth Group (IYG)

Indy Pride, Inc. was organized, in response to the prejudice and discrimination that members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community face, to provide educational and social programming for all persons residing in the State of Indiana in the hopes that said prejudice and discrimination will be eliminated. Indy Pride, Inc. fosters events that seek to educate, honor the history of the GLBT communities, and celebrate the diversity of and create unity, in and between the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight communities.