Indy Pride
Encyclopedia
Circle City IN Pride is the annual LGBT pride event in Indianapolis
. The event is organized by LGBT
organization Indy Pride, and has been held for over a decade. In recent years, more than 30,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and heterosexual people have attended Indy Pride, and in 2011 the numbers broke 70,000. http://www.indystar.com/article/20110612/LOCAL/106120351/Erika-D-Smith-Pride-festival-goes-mainstream-year?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News Indy Pride is held early June in honor of the Stonewall Riots
and in accordance with other United States pride festivals. Indy Pride is Indiana's largest Pride festival followed by Fort Wayne Pride http://www.fortwaynepride.org/.
"The festival and events are to celebrate gay pride and bring the community together. We're trying to bring visibility to the greater Indianapolis community of how many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people there are here." - past Indy Pride President, Gary Brackett.
. The parade grew to more than 100 floats and participants by 2009.http://www.indyprideinc.org/circlecityinpride/parade/
groups catering to the community as a whole, as well as special interest groups. Other booths throughout the park are sponsored by local businesses that support the LGBT community. Surrounding the park, food vendors, car dealerships and other businesses also have displays set up to show support and market to the community. The centerpiece of the event is the main stage that is erected to overlook the event. Here local and national talents perform, providing entertainment for the crowd. Performances include the Pride of Indy Band, singers, national recording artists, drag performances, DJs and speeches. Performances can range from pure entertainment, such as RuPaul
who performed at the close of the festival in 2006 and Kat DeLuna
who performed in 2009, to informational speeches, such as that from Candace Gingrich
, who in 2007, gave a speech for the Human Rights Campaign
on same-sex marriage
issues.
and Indiana congresswoman Julia Carson
, it is not without its opposition. Each year, the Indy Pride event, including the parade, draws a small number of protestors who voice their opposition to the event. Their opposition is expressed both verbally and on hand-made signs, and is often based on their religious beliefs. Although this group can often be very good at making themselves known, their presence seldom affects the mood of the event.
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. The event is organized by LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
organization Indy Pride, and has been held for over a decade. In recent years, more than 30,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and heterosexual people have attended Indy Pride, and in 2011 the numbers broke 70,000. http://www.indystar.com/article/20110612/LOCAL/106120351/Erika-D-Smith-Pride-festival-goes-mainstream-year?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News Indy Pride is held early June in honor of the Stonewall Riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
and in accordance with other United States pride festivals. Indy Pride is Indiana's largest Pride festival followed by Fort Wayne Pride http://www.fortwaynepride.org/.
"The festival and events are to celebrate gay pride and bring the community together. We're trying to bring visibility to the greater Indianapolis community of how many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people there are here." - past Indy Pride President, Gary Brackett.
Pride Parade
An annual pride parade traditionally kicks off the day since its induction in 2002. The parade runs from Massachusetts Avenue, which is the city's gay and lesbian district, to the heart of downtown. Parade Grand Marshalls have included celebrities and politicians, including the late congresswoman Julia CarsonJulia Carson
Julia May Carson , born Julia May Porter, was a member of the United States House of Representatives for from 1997 until her death in 2007 . Carson was the first woman and first African American to represent the 7th District...
. The parade grew to more than 100 floats and participants by 2009.http://www.indyprideinc.org/circlecityinpride/parade/
Grand Marshalls
- 2006: Congresswoman Julia CarsonJulia CarsonJulia May Carson , born Julia May Porter, was a member of the United States House of Representatives for from 1997 until her death in 2007 . Carson was the first woman and first African American to represent the 7th District...
- 2007: writer and producer Del ShoresDel ShoresDel Shores is an American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor.-Biography:...
- 2009: The traveling Broadway cast of WickedWicked (musical)Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
- 2010: The Indy Pride Bag Ladies
- 2011: Indy Pride Parade Founder: Cadillac Barbie (Gary K. Brackett)
Attractions
The Indy Pride event consists of several attractions for the community, both gay and non-gay, to browse and watch. There are several booths sponsored by local LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
groups catering to the community as a whole, as well as special interest groups. Other booths throughout the park are sponsored by local businesses that support the LGBT community. Surrounding the park, food vendors, car dealerships and other businesses also have displays set up to show support and market to the community. The centerpiece of the event is the main stage that is erected to overlook the event. Here local and national talents perform, providing entertainment for the crowd. Performances include the Pride of Indy Band, singers, national recording artists, drag performances, DJs and speeches. Performances can range from pure entertainment, such as RuPaul
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
who performed at the close of the festival in 2006 and Kat DeLuna
Kat DeLuna
Kathleen Emperatriz "Kat" DeLuna is an American pop singer of Dominican heritage. DeLuna has a soprano vocal range. Her debut single, "Whine Up", reached the top ten in Belgium and France, peaked inside the top forty of the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Her...
who performed in 2009, to informational speeches, such as that from Candace Gingrich
Candace Gingrich
Candace Gingrich-Jones is an American LGBT rights activist at the Human Rights Campaign. She is the half-sister of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who is more than 20 years her senior...
, who in 2007, gave a speech for the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
on same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
issues.
Opposition
Although the event is generally welcomed by the city, with vocal support having come from both Indianapolis former-mayor Bart PetersonBart Peterson
Barton "Bart" R. Peterson is the former mayor of the U.S city of Indianapolis, Indiana. A Democrat first elected in 1999, he was defeated in 2007 in a bid for a third term in what was widely viewed as a huge upset.A lifelong Indianapolis resident, Peterson graduated from North Central High School...
and Indiana congresswoman Julia Carson
Julia Carson
Julia May Carson , born Julia May Porter, was a member of the United States House of Representatives for from 1997 until her death in 2007 . Carson was the first woman and first African American to represent the 7th District...
, it is not without its opposition. Each year, the Indy Pride event, including the parade, draws a small number of protestors who voice their opposition to the event. Their opposition is expressed both verbally and on hand-made signs, and is often based on their religious beliefs. Although this group can often be very good at making themselves known, their presence seldom affects the mood of the event.
Attendance
Estimated attendance begin with the year 2005:- 2005: 20,000
- 2006: 25,000 http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070609/LOCAL/706090516/1195/LOCAL18
- 2007: 32,000 http://www.gayindy.org/index.php?id=news&item=69
- 2008: 35,000-40,000 http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/LOCAL18/806150404
- 2009: 35,000-40,000
- 2010: 45,000 http://www.indystar.com/article/20100613/LOCAL/6130339/Thousands-flock-Downtown-for-Pride-parade
- 2011: 70,000 http://www.indystar.com/article/20110612/LOCAL/106120351/Erika-D-Smith-Pride-festival-goes-mainstream-year?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News
History
- Indy Pride began in 1996 as a week-long celebration of events. http://www.glaad.org/publications/archive_detail.php?id=1189&PHPSESSID=f
- The first Indy Pride Parade stepped off in 2002. The first parade was small with only eight participants and lasted 15 minutes. It has since grown into a 2-hour-long event. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070609/LOCAL/706090516/1195/LOCAL18
- In 2011, pride broke records by attracting a record estimate 70,000 attendees http://www.indystar.com/article/20110612/LOCAL/106120351/Erika-D-Smith-Pride-festival-goes-mainstream-year?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News
External links
- Indy Pride, Inc. — parade organizer
- Circle City IN Pride — parade
- http://www.gayindy.org/
- http://www.prideofindy.org/
- http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706090516
- http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070610/LOCAL/706100460
- http://www.indianaequality.org/
- http://www.indianayouthgroup.org/
- http://www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.com/
- http://www.indypflag.org/
- http://www.trueloveindy.com