Submitted by Capital City Pride
Capital City Pride organizers issued the following message to the community:
“First and foremost, our community’s collective hearts are with those in the Orlando area and across our nation who have been so terribly impacted by this act of hate. We have all been impacted in some way.
We’ve made tremendous progress toward equality and equal rights for the broader LGBTQ community. But we know the residue of years of hatred and violence toward the LGBTQ community remains very real and present in our world today. If we’re to be honest with ourselves, we know that the atrocity that occurred in Orlando could have happened in Olympia, Austin or San Francisco. It could happen anywhere.
Capital City Pride takes place this weekend in downtown Olympia. We ask that the entire community join us for Pride 2016 in a way that honors the victims of Orlando, the victims of LGBTQ violence throughout our nation’s history, and respects the need for the entire community to commemorate and celebrate their memories peacefully and honorably.
We value debate, different perspectives and different experiences. But let this Pride festival be focused on love, respect and all of the things we share as members of our global society. The celebration of community will go on.”
The 26th annual Pride festival and parade weekend kicks off Friday, June 17 in downtown Olympia with a launch party, and the festival runs Saturday and Sunday in Heritage Park, next to Capitol Lake and in the shadow of the state Capitol Building. The parade is Sunday, June 19 at noon, from the Capitol Building, down Capital Way through downtown Olympia. All events are free and open to the public. More than 15,000 people come to Olympia for the festival and parade.
On Wednesday, Gov. Jay Inslee will open pride month in Olympia and Washington state by raising the rainbow pride flag at the state Capitol Building in Olympia.
Brief Schedule of Events:
Launch party: Friday, June 17 at 8 p.m. All-ages street party in front of Oly Underground, 109 Legion Way. Fire show at 9 pm. Features music, performances, speeches.
Festival: Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Heritage Park, Water St. at 7th Ave SE. Features entertainment, food booths, kids area and lots more.
Parade: Sunday June 19, noon to 1 p.m., north on Capital Way from the Capitol Building to Heritage Park. Pre-show 11 a.m. to noon at the intersection of Capital Way & Legion Way.
For more info: www.CapitalCityPride.net
