Eugene Pride 2021: A return to family – The Register-Guard
Anthony Carter, aka Diva-Simone Slaughter, anticipates emceeing an even larger EugPride 2021 than 2019’s estimated record crowds.
“God-willing there will be no last-minute tailspin because I think it’s going to be even bigger than two years ago. Everyone is ready to see each other,” Carter said.
Saturday’s “Pride at the Park” is not only a festival honoring the LGBTQ+ community with festivities, entertainment, awareness and local food and libations, it’s a chance to connect again with the partnering groups and friends who often stand in as stable, unswerving families.
“For many of us, this is our family. Many LGBTQ people lose our families,” Carter said.
According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, an estimated 20% to 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ. And The Trevor Project’s 2021 national survey found that nearly 20% of LGBTQ youth aged 13-18 reported attempting suicide.
“Statistics says that nearly 7 out of every 10 are kicked out because of sexual identity, and it’s estimated two-thirds of teen suicides have to do with sexual identity,” Carter said. “It’s so important to have that community.”
Supporting Pride and embracing all
At Saturday’s Pride in the Park, “the community” means an embrace of myriad cultural groups, no matter if LGBTQ+ or not. Also it’s also a change of scenery for people to visit in an outdoor setting.
“Not everyone is an alcohol person. It’s good for us to see each other at these events that aren’t at bars,” Carter said. “It’s our yearly check in to come out and support each other and have that camaraderie.”
Carter describes himself and co-emcee, EugPride board president Bill Sullivan, as the court jesters bringing fun to their broad, multicolored family unit.
“We kept them smiling, even if things are going bad at home,” Carter said.
This includes lip syncing their favorite numbers with Diva-Simone (Carter) and Diva Daphne Storm (Sullivan) hyping up the crowd with inspirational songs like “We Are Family,” “just to remind the crowd if they forgot that they’re at a fun, free gay celebration.”
“We’re not putting any pressure on anybody; just come out, have fun and enjoy the day,” Sullivan said. “We really do want to get back to the community. We missed it last year. And 2019 Pride just was off the hook.”
Main stage entertainers will include Eugene’s drag queen Glamazons, blues rockers The Vipers featuring Deb Cleveland and the high-energy Work Dance Company performing hip-hop, flamenco and more.
On the community stage, attendees can open Pride with yoga on the lawn, hear the Oregon Mozart Players, get down with poetry readers, laugh with local comedians and hear from civic activists and public figures. There will also be a dedicated children’s area for families.
Safety considerations
Heat considerations will feature water misters and water stations throughout the festival area as well as one of the area’s largest shade structures, designed by Eugene’s Stretch Shapes.
The festival will follow all local, state and federal COVID-19 restrictions with social distancing, masks encouraged, hand-sanitizing stations throughout the grounds and booths spread apart to encourage air flow.
“We expanded the park out, so we can space things out a little bit more,” Sullivan said. “We’re trying to be more aware of things like accessibility and people’s needs.”
The increased accessibility includes: the stage shows will include an ASL interpreter, seating will have designated wheelchair accessible areas and the larger festival spread along will increase booth space and availability.
With this in mind, the Pride board set up “a lot more volunteers throughout the park this year.” They’ll be sporting pink shirts, so people can easily pick them out of the crowd. There will also be extra security.
Pride March to festival grounds
The march to Pride will also be an option again with participants heading out at 10 a.m. Saturday from Spectrum at 150 W. Broadway in downtown Eugene. This will be one of the first opportunities for LGBTQ+ celebrants to reconnect with the nightclub.
“We’re really the only queer bar in town, everyone is really excited for us to be open,” Spectrum general manager Kiki B. said.
Spectrum has been closed during the pandemice and Kiki said there’s been growing pressure for the bar to open, but want to remain safe specifically for Spectrum’s clientele.
“The truth is our community has a larger portion of people that are immunocompromised,” Kiki said. “We also are underserved in the healthcare system, so that’s one of the reasons we have stayed close. But our staff is very excited to open. We want to be here to entertain people because that’s what we do.”
Though its bar and restaurant recently reopened, Spectrum still does not have a concrete date to open the club to dancing and shows.
Pride 2021 aims to fill that gap.
“Hopefully people will learn,” Carter said, “look at us prancing around on stage, doing it for a cause, doing it for reason.”
Pride in the Park 2021
What: Eugene’s Pride festival, a celebration of all that makes our community great, featuring live entertainment, food and drinks, local vendors, family activities, community partners and more.
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Opening march to the park will begin at 10 a.m. from Spectrum, 150 W. Broadway.
Where: Alton Baker Park, 200 Day Island Road
Cost: Free
Information: www.eugenepride.org
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