Burien Hosting First Gay Pride Festival This Weekend

BURIEN, WA - The first-ever gay pride celebration in Burien will happen all day Saturday in the downtown area. The free event is meant to be a low-key, local alternative to the larger gay pride celebration and parade in Seattle, according to organizers. The celebration will feature a kids area, a drag show, live music, and plenty of vendors and food.

Debra George, a member of the Burien Pride Celebration committee, said that Burien has always had a large gay population, but just never hosted a pride celebration. Not for a lack of interest: Burien elected an openly gay city councilman, Stephen Lamphear, at the beginning of the 2000s, and was one of the first cities in Washington to offer domestic partner benefits.

"We want to bring everyone together and show that our community is a very embracing community," she said.

The Burien celebration is sponsored by Gay City, Umpqua Bank, Burien Actors Theater, Burien Nursing and Rehabilitation, BECU, and South Seattle Community College. The celebration begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Burien Town Square Park. Admission is free. There will be food vendors, a beer garden, and market featuring games and crafts. Proceeds from the event will go to the animal care nonprofit Burien C.A.R.E.S., and Camp Ten Trees for LGBT youth.

The entertainment stage will feature an all-ages Zumba class, slam poetry, The Newly Coupled Game, dancing, music from CarLarans Lamar, a drag show, and a grand finale featuring an 80s dance party with The Aqua-Nets. The celebration will be hosted by Ms. Donnatella Howe and Tru St. James.

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