Interesting bit of controversy going on in Seattle’s gay community right now, as the annual Pride Parade has grown so much that organizers want to move it to downtown and the Seattle Center for next year.
This year’s gay pride parade — happening a week from Sunday — may be the last on Capitol Hill, the traditional center of gay life in Seattle.
For more than 20 years, the colorful march has made its way along Broadway and culminated at Volunteer Park, where a festival takes place. A co-chairman of the Seattle Pride Committee, which runs the events, said yesterday that the festival will relocate to the Seattle Center next year.
While the committee hasn’t made any final decisions, the procession also may make its way along a new route through downtown Seattle in 2006.
[…]
To some, the move signals the advances gays and lesbians have made in society. Holding the festival at the Seattle Center — where more traditional celebrations such as Bumbershoot and Bite of Seattle take place — can be seen as a sign of mainstream acceptance and an acknowledgment that gays are part of the entire city, not just one neighborhood.
Still, many find the idea of the gay pride festival being anywhere else but Capitol Hill hard to fathom.
Protest signs have gone up in many storefronts along Capitol Hill’s main drag proclaiming, “Keep the Pride Parade on Broadway.” Dozens of people have signed petitions that have appeared at stores such as Broadway News and the Panache clothing store.
I can see how many of the people in Capitol Hill would be bummed about this, but I also think that having the extra space and possibilities of the Seattle Center would be a good thing. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.
Either way, though, I’ll be there this year, and next, and most likely, any other year I’m in Seattle.
“Speedfreak” by Secret Hero from the album Lit Up (1999, 7:07).
