Community Corner
PrideFest 2011 Will Include Clayton-Richmond Heights Backers
Residents and organizations in Clayton and Richmond Heights demonstrate their support for the LGBT community this weekend.
Beginning at 11 a.m. today, a community-wide festival and tribute to the Stonewall Riots of 1969 will kick off in the form of PrideFest 2011. Held in Tower Grove Park today and Sunday until 8 p.m. both days, this annual event is a celebration of the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community (LGBT).
Clayton and Richmond Heights will have a presence at the weekend’s festivities in the form of attendees and associations who are listed as vendors: St. Louis Hillel at Washington University; ; AVAP of Alive, Inc.; Ethical Society of St. Louis; and Alex Waldbart Florist.
“From the Jewish community’s standpoint, we want to be there to show that our community supports the LGBT community,” Rayna Schaff, senior Jewish student life coordinator with Hillel and resident of Richmond Heights, said. “We’re strong allies whether we’re gay or not.”
Tony Corso, designer and events coordinator for Alex Waldbart Florist, credited his boss for the support of PrideFest: the shop donated long-stem red roses for the couples who are participating in a community-wide commitment ceremony today at 3 p.m.
“My boss realizes that the gay community supports us and she likes to support back. It’s the most ideological way for us to show our support,” Corso said. “What other way than a flower shop donating flowers?”
This is the florist’s second year donating roses.
Dedrick Archer, co-chair of the commitment ceremony portion of the weekend, said that as of Friday afternoon 57 couples had signed up to participate in the commitment ceremony with more expected at the door. While the ceremony isn’t legally recognized by the State of Missouri, for residents of St. Louis city it does provide a certificate to register as domestic partners.
Archer said organizers are expecting 80,000—100,000 people over the course of the two-day festival.
“PrideFest is about showing we’re proud of who we are and building our own community,” he said. “It’s all about being able to live freely and walk among others like everyone else; we come together and show we’re just like everyone else.”
For more information about PrideFest including the entertainment and parade schedule, visit: PrideFest 2011.