Community Corner
Concord Celebrates 'Pride on the Plaza' This Sunday
The 6th annual Contra Costa County "Pride" event takes place from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 9 in Todos Santos Plaza.
Todos Santos Plaza hosts the county's annual "Pride" event on Sunday, June 9, with the "Pride on the Plaza" picnic to celebrate Contra Costa County's LGBT community.
The event runs from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and is sponsored by the Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County (RCC), Everything Under the Rainbow thrift store and Club 1220 in Walnut Creek.
"Pride on the Plaza is going to be a blast," said Jimmy Gale of the RCC. "The staff and volunteers from the Rainbow Community Center have been hard at work to make this year's event just as fabulous as last year."
Gale is hosting the event as his drag queen alter-ego, "Stephanie Nicole le Dream," who performs regularly at Club 1220 in Walnut Creek.
"Pride on the Plaza" is a family-friendly event, Gale says, and everyone is encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the entertainment, raffles, auctions and Everything Under the Rainbow thrift-store fashion show.
Live performances on the Todos Santos stage include:
- Laurie B. Ballard of the Laurie B Ballard band.
- Cheer SF, who has performed all over the world, raising money for HIV/AIDS and Cancer through the Cheer for Life Foundation.
- The Oakland-East Bay Gay Men's Chorus.
- The Cast of Holotta's UnBOYlievable Drag Show from Club 1220, which is the East Bay's longest running drag show at 18 years.
- A fashion show by Beauty Intoxication, featuring fashions found at the Everything Under the Rainbow thrift store.
- An excerpt from the play "8" by Dustin Lance Black, which opens for a one day limited engagement on June 15 at Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church in honor of "Pride Month" in June.
- "Honey Mahogany" from RuPauls Drag Race Season 5, who was the first drag queen from the SF Bay Area to ever appear on the show.
- Singer-songwriter Laura Zucker.
The event has new sponsors this year and several Todos Santos businesses have jumped in to help out, says Gale. Participants who make a donation to the event receive a wristband entitling them to special discounts and promotions at Spaghetti Factory, EJ Phair, Lettuce In, Tower Grille, Ravioli's and Everything Under the Rainbow.
The celebration continues after Pride on the Plaza with the "POP! Pride on the Plaza after Party" at Club 1220 in Walnut Creek. Anyone over the age of 21 with a wristband will receive one free well drink or beer.
Are you going to "Pride" this year? Have you been before? Share your experience in the comments.
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