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OKC Pride 2014 Block Party kicks off at 6pm with food and beer trucks, then the free concert on 39th Street opens with Kitty-Bob Aimes and Norma Jean Goldenstein at 7pm, followed by Martha Wash, the Original Weather Girl, and international sensation, Taylor Dayne. Get there early to get a good spot. See you on The Strip!

Food trucks include:
Moto Chef
La Luna
Kaiteki Ramen
Pie on the Fly
Chick-N-Wangs
Phill Me Up Cheesesteaks
The Sugar Shack
Abshel Concession
Frito-Lay
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

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OKC Pride 2014 Block Party kicks off at 6pm with food and beer trucks, then the free concert on 39th Street opens with Kitty-Bob Aimes and Norma Jean Goldenstein at 7pm, followed by Martha Wash, the Original Weather Girl, and international sensation, Taylor Dayne. Get there early to get a good spot. See you on The Strip!

Food trucks include:
Moto Chef
La Luna
Kaiteki Ramen
Pie on the Fly
Chick-N-Wangs
Phill Me Up Cheesesteaks
The Sugar Shack
Abshel Concession
Frito-Lay
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Oh Kitty and Norma Jean. Love their Gospel brunch at the Boom.

What is the date on that? Did I miss it?

Block party is tonight.

Man...I wish I had known this earlier, before making other plans. By the way, EMBARK is free today (3rd Friday of each month, through August).

I didn't think to post something earlier.. yes the Block party with Taylor Dayne and Martha Wash is tonight.. TOmorrow is the Street arts festival as well as local live music all day and sunday the parade.

Was gonna go to the block party but I might pass it up in favor of the parade on Sunday. I've only been OKC Pride once, three years ago, and it was during the day on Saturday. Which event would be the one to go to -- the block party, or the parade?

Was gonna go to the block party but I might pass it up in favor of the parade on Sunday. I've only been OKC Pride once, three years ago, and it was during the day on Saturday. Which event would be the one to go to -- the block party, or the parade?

I have never been to either but know the guy who plays Norma Jean and they are hilarious. If you have been to one, go to the other and see which one you like better.

Well it depends on what you prefer.. Tonights block party will have great entertainment of Martha Wash and Taylor Dayne.. The parade is at 6pm on sunday and probably wont go as long as the block party tonight. just depends on what you prefer.

and yes lets please keep your politics out of this thread. if its not your bag then just move on.

I don't plan on attending, but I'm glad we have this. Coincidentally, David Sedaris is reading at the Quail Springs Barns & Noble tonight. I will be there!

Had such a fantastic time at the parade today! Every time I go to events like this it is so nice to see how diverse the community really is... people of every background imaginable were there just celebrating and having a great time with friends and strangers shouting "Happy Pride!" at everyone. It was my first time at OKC pride actually attending one of the bigger events vs just strolling through the vendors and I was really surprised at how big the attendance was. I think the most encouraging thing was how many straight folks and families were proudly in attendance. Great stuff! Can't wait for next year. :)

Crowd-lined streets.
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Mary Bishop, Sharon Baldwin, Sue Barton and Gay Phillips, leading off the parade.
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Random dance-off after the parade.
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was there ANY? mention of OKCPride in the local media?

Was it all at 39th this year or was the parade downtown?

Regardless of politics, events in the city should be well covered and promoted IMO as 'this' is what truly makes a city urban and cosmopolitan.

I sinned. I chose the World Cup over the Pride march and was duly punished by Portugal's last-second goal. However I did make it out to Tramps afterward and has a nice time with friends. It's always great to see how Pride has been embraced by all different groups. It's not just a great time, but it's also a time to realize how far society has to come in acceptance for all.

Crowd-lined streets.
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Holy #@!$

I had no idea our pride was this large! o_O

That is insane.

I'm glad there was a good turnout.

was there ANY? mention of OKCPride in the local media?

Was it all at 39th this year or was the parade downtown?

Regardless of politics, events in the city should be well covered and promoted IMO as 'this' is what truly makes a city urban and cosmopolitan.

Nope, not that I could see -- and that didn't go unnoticed. Don't see a single thing on NewsOK about the entire weekend where ~60,000 people attend (!). So while I came away buzzing from all the support and love shown today, it's still pretty clear how things are around here for the people who control these things. Eyeroll. Maybe something will come out today.

Everything was on 39th & Penn this year AFAIK. I assumed it was because of the elementary school construction and the Stage Center and whatnot but I'm not really sure.


I sinned. I chose the World Cup over the Pride march and was duly punished by Portugal's last-second goal.

Haha, totally understood! I was sad I had to miss the game for the parade.


Holy #@!$

I had no idea our pride was this large! o_O

That is insane.

Yep! Wikipedia claims it is the biggest in the Great Plains (which frankly isn't saying much, lol) but their flyers I saw claim upward of 60,000 in attendance for the weekend. I don't know how they come up with that figure but for this only being one event of many that wouldn't shock me at all. (Yet no mention of it in the media, lol).

I took my family and we had a great time. Looks like we were positioned fairly close to Loko.

As for the media, the Gazette had a cover story, but I didn't see much else. The Oklahoman is baffling to me; they have covered it in the past, but, nothing, nada, zilch.

Maybe the Oklahoman didn't want to promote any progressive causes with all of their Republican boys and girls trying to maintain through their annoying campaign ads the veneer that everyone in this state is a bible-beating homophobe who worships the twin deities of OIL and GAS.

Holy #@!$

I had no idea our pride was this large! o_O

That is insane.

It's been like that for the parade, since at least the 1990s, maybe sooner than that, since its been building since the first parade in 1983. More and more straights have been finding it a good, fund experience to go to.

I went to see Marth Wash and Taylor Dayne on Friday night and it was a great turnout and wonderful show put on by both ladies. Then saturday evening went to support a friend who is a local singer songwriter who was playing the main stage that evening. pretty decent amount of people on the streets sat night as well . and the parade was packed. Great Pride celebration and very pleased with the turn out. The location of parade and festival was not due to the elementary school at all. The previous Pride board tried shaking things up the past two years by moving Pride to May instead of june ( which resulted in thunderstorms during parade both years) and they attempted to move the festival to film Row which ended up being very poorly attended. the new Pride Board moved the Festivities back to June as that is the anniversary of Stonewall riots and moved everything back to the strip. I think having the entire street blocked for the weekend makes for a great enviroment. I know that we all had a great time.

Next year...start the Pride Parade in front of the Governor's Mansion...just a small contingent, mind you. A symbolic gesture of sorts. :)

I went to see Marth Wash and Taylor Dayne on Friday night and it was a great turnout and wonderful show put on by both ladies. Then saturday evening went to support a friend who is a local singer songwriter who was playing the main stage that evening. pretty decent amount of people on the streets sat night as well . and the parade was packed. Great Pride celebration and very pleased with the turn out. The location of parade and festival was not due to the elementary school at all. The previous Pride board tried shaking things up the past two years by moving Pride to May instead of june ( which resulted in thunderstorms during parade both years) and they attempted to move the festival to film Row which ended up being very poorly attended. the new Pride Board moved the Festivities back to June as that is the anniversary of Stonewall riots and moved everything back to the strip. I think having the entire street blocked for the weekend makes for a great enviroment. I know that we all had a great time.

I would imagine last year a lot of people passed up taking a chance on going to the parade, due to there being a tornado watch and warning out at the time. Fortunately, this year much better parade weather prevailed with the temps staying well out of the 100s as was the case all weekend long. I tend to think the risk of flirting with very severe weather in May should be a bigger concern than taking a risk with 100 degree temps and heat strokes in June. It's easier trying to keep yourself cool with liquids than trying to flee from bad weather suddenly barreling down the street. The bars can only hold so many people.

I agree with you.. I also prefer the Pride celebration to remain to have historical significance. Pride festivals were born out of a commemoration of the Stonewall riots and that is why most are held in June. some have changed throughout the years to commemorate local human rights ordanances passing or for many reasons I am sure but June is generally the month of celebration and the month declared as LGBT Pride month. Heat is manageable storms not so much.

I went to see Marth Wash and Taylor Dayne on Friday night and it was a great turnout and wonderful show put on by both ladies. Then saturday evening went to support a friend who is a local singer songwriter who was playing the main stage that evening. pretty decent amount of people on the streets sat night as well . and the parade was packed. Great Pride celebration and very pleased with the turn out. The location of parade and festival was not due to the elementary school at all. The previous Pride board tried shaking things up the past two years by moving Pride to May instead of june ( which resulted in thunderstorms during parade both years) and they attempted to move the festival to film Row which ended up being very poorly attended. the new Pride Board moved the Festivities back to June as that is the anniversary of Stonewall riots and moved everything back to the strip. I think having the entire street blocked for the weekend makes for a great enviroment. I know that we all had a great time.

Thanks for the clarification; makes sense.

Next year...start the Pride Parade in front of the Governor's Mansion...just a small contingent, mind you. A symbolic gesture of sorts. :)

She'll call out the National Guard and issue live ammo.

was there ANY? mention of OKCPride in the local media?

Was it all at 39th this year or was the parade downtown?

Regardless of politics, events in the city should be well covered and promoted IMO as 'this' is what truly makes a city urban and cosmopolitan.

It definitely was publicized last year so it is a bit surprising to have no coverage this year.

Oklahoma City gay pride festival, parade are set | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-gay-pride-festival-parade-are-set/article/3815248)

It definitely was publicized last year so it is a bit surprising to have no coverage this year.

Oklahoma City gay pride festival, parade are set | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-gay-pride-festival-parade-are-set/article/3815248)

Maybe someone from Gay Pride simply didn't think of calling the Oklahoman about how things would be changed to some extent this year. That alone might have been judged worthy of a story.

It's been like that for the parade, since at least the 1990s, maybe sooner than that, since its been building since the first parade in 1983. More and more straights have been finding it a good, fund experience to go to.

Straight though I may be, I received no funding for attending this year's Pride extravaganza.

Straight though I may be, I received no funding for attending this year's Pride extravaganza.

Please be patient.. we are first working on sending toasters to all who converterd to Homosexuality over the weekend then funding to straight participants will be taken care of. watch your mailbox.

Please be patient.. we are first working on sending toasters to all who converterd to Homosexuality over the weekend then funding to straight participants will be taken care of. watch your mailbox.

You mean I can convert? It's a choice? Damn...no one told me, so I can get a free toaster if I choose to change my sexual preference? If I had known, maybe I didn't need to spend $39.95 on a toaster for my wife last Christmas.

You mean I can convert? It's a choice? Damn...no one told me, so I can get a free toaster if I choose to change my sexual preference? If I had known, maybe I didn't need to spend $39.95 of the toaster for my wife last Christmas.

Keep quiet I have said too much already.. the last thing I need is the Gay Mafia breathing down my throat because I sent out copies of the Gay Agenda.

The Gay Agenda is.......toasters?

Please be patient.. we are first working on sending toasters to all who converterd to Homosexuality over the weekend then funding to straight participants will be taken care of. watch your mailbox.

funniest thing I read today thus far, from any source. Well played.

The Gay Agenda is.......toasters?

Or..... is it....... Bwa ha ha ha :::::: steps slowly into the darkness:::::::

Somehow I picture toasters being thrown from (forgive me) Derplahoman windows state-wide while Bubba, sitting in his thatched hut under the light of a meek incandescent bulb, tries to suspend a plastic replica of bull testicles from his toaster mumbling something about his cold, dead hands.

Crowd-lined streets.
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This is why I really wish the organizers would move the event downtown and also consider opening up a gay bar or two in an up and coming urban area. I understand there is some emotional connection to the 39th street drag, but that area is very dated and barely walkable. Furthermore, the Habana Inn is simply a mess that needs to go for a number of areas.

This is why I really wish the organizers would move the event downtown and also consider opening up a gay bar or two in an up and coming urban area. I understand there is some emotional connection to the 39th street drag, but that area is very dated and barely walkable. Furthermore, the Habana Inn is simply a mess that needs to go for a number of areas.

I think there are efforts afoot to improve the area, along with the help of the city. Agree with you about Habana Inn.

This is why I really wish the organizers would move the event downtown and also consider opening up a gay bar or two in an up and coming urban area. I understand there is some emotional connection to the 39th street drag, but that area is very dated and barely walkable. Furthermore, the Habana Inn is simply a mess that needs to go for a number of areas.

there are efforts in motion to make the "strip" more attractive. there have already been improvements in lighting and crosswalks and reducing from 4 lane to 2 lane with Bike lanes. I would like to see the area continue to improve and actually would love to see Planted medians and really spruce up the place. It would do wonders to attract possible businesses that are more than just night clubs. I don't see the parade or festival moving back towards downtown as the experimental shift to Film Row was not well recieved. I think the community would like to see our own version of chicagos Boystown or Cedarsprings in Dallas. I would love to see some life in the area during the day and cleaned up.

This is why I really wish the organizers would move the event downtown and also consider opening up a gay bar or two in an up and coming urban area. I understand there is some emotional connection to the 39th street drag, but that area is very dated and barely walkable. Furthermore, the Habana Inn is simply a mess that needs to go for a number of areas.

Do they need to tear down the Habana Inn and replace it with a mid-tower hotel?

there are efforts in motion to make the "strip" more attractive. there have already been improvements in lighting and crosswalks and reducing from 4 lane to 2 lane with Bike lanes. I would like to see the area continue to improve and actually would love to see Planted medians and really spruce up the place. It would do wonders to attract possible businesses that are more than just night clubs. I don't see the parade or festival moving back towards downtown as the experimental shift to Film Row was not well recieved. I think the community would like to see our own version of chicagos Boystown or Cedarsprings in Dallas. I would love to see some life in the area during the day and cleaned up.

I noticed the bike lanes and enjoyed them, but are there any plans to add actual sidewalks? I feel like that alone would do wonders to clean up the "look" of the district...

Do they need to tear down the Habana Inn and replace it with a mid-tower hotel?

Replace it with a mid-tower hotel or even a strip mall... that thing is total filth. The whole area needs significant beautification. I think if the gay community were to centralize in the western Film Row area that is already up and coming, it would be tremendously successful. The great thing about both the cited districts of Boystown and Cedar Springs is that they are in very nice walkable areas of their respective cities.

Replace it with a mid-tower hotel or even a strip mall... that thing is total filth. The whole area needs significant beautification. I think if the gay community were to centralize in the western Film Row area that is already up and coming, it would be tremendously successful. The great thing about both the cited districts of Boystown and Cedar Springs is that they are in very nice walkable areas of their respective cities.

Cedarsprings was not always that way.. it use to be a wreck years ago.. they have done many improvements in the past 20 years. I don't know about Chicago. however I do know it is not uncommon for the GAY district to be born in a run down slum part of the city that nobody wants.. and then eventually turns around into one of the most beautiful districts.. I am hoping this will be the case with OKC.. Our City has been a bit slower than some at embracing this community in my opinion.

An interesting promotion by Burger King in connection with San Francisco's parade.

Burger King sells 'Proud Whopper' in San Francisco | News OK (http://newsok.com/burger-king-sells-proud-whopper-in-san-francisco/article/feed/706575)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkmS0R27Q8k

An interesting promotion by Burger King in connection with San Francisco's parade.

Burger King sells 'Proud Whopper' in San Francisco | News OK (http://newsok.com/burger-king-sells-proud-whopper-in-san-francisco/article/feed/706575)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkmS0R27Q8k

Smart Marketing!