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In honor of LGBTQ+ History Month, Livermore Pride is gearing up to host its annual festival next weekend for a day of live music, entertainment and shopping.
Pridefest is a public and family-friendly gathering that offers a space for community-building and honoring diversity, Livermore Pride officials said in a statement.
“(It) is more than just a festival, it’s about fostering LGBTQ+ connections every day,” organizers wrote on their website.
Attendees of the sixth annual Pridefest can expect to see a drag show featuring Ava LaShay, Avery Night and Mia Fierce; live performances by Cindi Hagley, Amber Fornoles and Elderflower Band; lawn-sized and tabletop games hosted by Roll for Inclusion; dozens of local vendors and artisans; and community organizations showcasing services and support for the LGBTQ community, according to Livermore Pride officials.
This year’s theme, “Rooted in Pride” brings attention to the connections within Livermore’s LGBTQ community that uplift local talent, small businesses and the allies who promote inclusion year-round, Livermore Pride officials said.
Rodney Wilson, founder of LGBTQ+ History Month, congratulated Livermore Pride this year for hosting Pridefest.
“I always love seeing how different people take the concept and put their own mark on it, as you do in Livermore,” Wilson said.
“Knowledge of that which came before us — history — is a vital foundation for making a good life in the present and protecting that good life into the future,” Wilson said. “This is especially the case for marginalized communities whose history has been neglected, even intentionally erased, as we still witness today.”
Pridefest is scheduled to run from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 18) in Bankhead Plaza in downtown Livermore.
The celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month is set to continue into the following week with a ticketed seminar about the history of drag.
During an evening of storytelling, LaShay, Livermore drag queen, performer and Livermore Pride board member, is set to share the history of drag as an art form, including its cultural roots and its ongoing role in self-expression and community empowerment.
After the presentation, LaShay and Livermore Pride board chair Brittni Kiick are set to host a Q&A session with the audience.
The event is part of Omega Road Winery’s seminar series dubbed “Unfiltered”, in which experts share ideas over beverages and small bites, according to the winery website.
“The History of Drag featuring Ava LaShay” is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. next Thursday (Oct. 23) at Omega Road Winery.
In addition to the October celebrations, Livermore Pride has brought back and expanded its “Pride Passport”, a year-round guide to Livermore’s local businesses and community organizations that have affirmed their support of the LGBTQ community.
For more information about either event, visit the Livermore Pride website at livermorepride.org. For tickets to the seminar, visit omegaroadwinery.com.
