Q-Seattle Events: Tacky Tourist Clubs

OneDegree Events, Egan Orion's company that is producing an array of Pride Weekend activities in and near Seattle Center, has announced that it has signed on with local festival management experts Festivals Inc to help with production of PrideFest, the free-admission Seattle Center festival that will be held Sunday afternoon, June 24 from 11 am until 7 pm, with main programming from 2 pm until 6 pm.

New Growth Event Solutions, a division of Festivals Inc., will serve as the production management team for PrideFest 2007. Festivals Inc. produces Bite of Seattle each summer at Seattle Center and Taste of Tacoma. According to OneDegree's press release, Festivals and New Growth were chosen "for their familiarity with Seattle Center, both at the administration and operational level."

"We have many years of experience producing high-profile events at Seattle Center," noted Bjorn Estlund, the lead on the New Growth Events production team. "We have always enjoyed working in conjunction with the Center and look forward to building this partnership with PrideFest to be a part of this important event."

New Growth will be responsible for general festival operations including mapping the grounds, laying out booths, contracting all service providers, and on-site management.

One Degree will run free shuttles from PrideFest to Capitol Hill starting at 4 pm on June 24. Shuttles will leave every half hour between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and will drop guests off at clubs and bars that sponsor buses for PrideFest.

Later in the evening, One Degree, will also provide shuttle service from the Hill to Level 5 for the company's Sunday party, Revival, which will be held at Level 5 across the street from EMP from 5 pm to 2 am.

Entertainment lineup for the festival is still developing, but OneDegree has already booked entertainment from every corner of the gay community. DJs includes DJ Bryan Pfeifer (LA), Wasabi and LA Kendall from Re:Launch-Hitgirl! Productions and DJ Kyler (c89.5). National performing talent includes Inaya Day, Reina, and Abigail. They're saying, coyly, that the lineup will "likely feature at least one comedian." PrideFest has confirmed State Senator Ed Murray and will announce more speakers as agreements are made.

Orion offers this reflection on the busy weekend: ?Pride Weekend has important events going on in every corner of the city," Orion said, "from house parties to bar and club events to special events like our big Saturday night party at EMP Sky Church, One Mighty Pride Party, and Festivals like PrideFest and QueerFest."

"There is enough business to go around for everybody to be successful," he said. "Pride can be on both Capitol Hill and Downtown. It's bigger than any one person or one event. Pride is about community, and at the end of the weekend, hopefully we?ll be able to forget the politics that have divided us and embrace that which connects us all in this very vibrant gay community."

OneDegree has also hired sponsorship consultant Cindy Baccetti, who had previously worked with SOAP, a local group that had tried and failed to sponsor a Center festival this year. She is quoted as noting that "Wide spread support and excitement from the business community about PrideFest continues to strengthen as we approach the event." Eleven corporate sponsors are named in the press release.

Labels: Gay events, gay party, Seattle, Seattle Pride