Thoughts on Pride from the Chair of the Pride Committee: Daina Skrove
Earlier this year, I was talking with some friends about why we have Pride festivals, what was the specific need. Why have a specific festival to celebrate being LGBT when in their eyes, they are no different than their straight friends, except that their partner is the same gender? I thought about that a lot while we were organizing this year’s Pride event. Why are do we need this event, what is the purpose? I’m not sure if everyone on the board was lucky enough to have the experience that I did during the closing hours of the 2006 La Crosse Pridefest.
In its first year back, La Crosse Pride was a very successful event. On Friday, over 90 passengers boarded the Julia Belle Swain steamboat for a relaxing and enjoyable pizza cruise on the Mississippi. Music provided by La Crosse’s DJ Scotty wafted through the speakers as Tommy Orrico drew caricatures.
Saturday’s festival started with over 25 vendor booths including the 2006 Featured Vendor – Christina Mae Olson. This vendor was the first to return their vendor form to the committee and opened our eyes to the fact that Pride was really going to happen! Music by Ellis, Tommy Orrico, Alexandra Green and the Show Choir flowed throughout the day while My Place Bar hosted their successful Euchre Tournament with 16 participants. The tournament winner happily donated her 1st place winnings back to Pride – Thanks Jen! Throughout the day we hosted pull tab raffle drawings with items donated by Rainbow’s End bar, Tommy Orrico, the Radisson and others.
And then they arrived…The kings and Queens! Jayda Cline, Beja, Gosh Alice and more! All of the performances were phenomenal, however only 2 won the title of Mr and Miss Color of the Rainbow. These titles were determined by having performers vote for who they thought was the best performer, on and off the stage. The winners have agreed to be involved in the planning of the 2007 La Crosse Pride Variety show. Congratulations to Mr. Color of the Rainbow 2006 – Reggie of Rochester, MN and Miss Color of the Rainbow 2006 - Shannon DuPree of Milwaukee, WI; we look forward to working with them next year. A Special thanks to Players Bar for sponsoring the show.
Although I don’t have any final numbers, it appeared that the Red Ribbon Family Fund Family Picnic was a success! Over 50 people were enjoying bingo and food early afternoon on Sunday. (Editor's note: We will run final numbers for attendance and so on in the October issue of LGBT News.)
So back to the experience that made me realize why we have a LGBT Pride event. As people were leaving, a gentleman came up to me and thanked me profusely for organizing Pride. I told him thanks, and that the committee put a great deal of time and energy into the event and we were very happy with the success. The man stopped me, looked me in the eye and said with the greatest sincerity, "No, really – thank you. Growing up with all the abuse and teasing and everything that I got for being gay in a small town, I never was really ok with being gay. This event makes me believe there really are good people out there, ones that are OK being gay. Thank you for showing me that there is a community here in La Crosse."
Special thanks go to Emily who donated all of her time to organizing and running the bar at the Omni Center, DJ Scotty who donated all of his equipment, time and expertise, volunteers – we couldn’t have done it without you, the Pride Committee Members – Reegan Shafer, Kari Marshall, Mike Leach, David Kraabel, Mikel Hampel, Sara Marshall and Alice Benson. And last, and in no way least, thank you to the 7 Rivers LGBT Resource Center for reviving La Crosse Pride.
Daina Skrove
2006 La Crosse Pride Chair