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An event like the Riverside Pride Festival hasn’t been held in the city in several years, and never to the degree witnessed on Saturday. A concert stage — which hosted drag artist RuPaul at the end of the night — anchored the middle of White Park, flanked by booths pitching everything from politics to food to religion.

Ten different churches used Pride to reach out to area gays and lesbians, and for the first time ever, there were legal same-sex marriages.

The event took a highly political tone; the most visible signs urged people to vote against Proposition 8, which would ban the court ruling that currently allows for same-sex weddings in California. Other political efforts were more subtle. Grey Frandsen, a Democrat who is campaigning for the 66th Assembly District seat, shook hands and handed out promotional cards near the crowded beer booth.

Organizer David St Pierre said more than 2,000 attended the event.

– posted by Craig Fiegener

More coverage on this story: RuPaul and Niki Haris at Riverside Pride 2008.

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Monday, September 15, 2008

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