A New Pride Parade for New Hope
New Hope, PA, knows how to throw a party, as evidenced by its annual Somewhere Over the Rainbow weekend celebration. This year, the weekend - which runs from May 18 - 20 - features a new attraction: New Hope's first-ever Pride Parade.
Daniel Brooks, proprietor of the Wishing Well Guesthouse and New Hope Celebrates Coordinator, said, "New Hope has an illustrious past... welcoming the gay adnmlesbian population and yet, surprisingl;y, the community has never hosted a pride parade." That omission is about to be corrected: "The logistics are daunting," Brooks continued, "but our volunteer committee is pulling this together with incredible spirit and encouragement from the whole town."
The parade is set to roll on at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, rain or shine. Starting off at the New Hope-Solebury High School, the parade will pass through the historic center of town and end at Ferry Street Park. The parade is set to include choreographed flag-dancing by The Flyboys of Flag Troupe, along with an assortment of floats led by the gay men's motorcycle club The NJ Eagles MC, as well as a classic convertible carrying "the notorious" Miss Pumpkin.
The parade will also include marchers from a number of community, civil, and church organizations.
Many other diversions have been scheduled over the course of the weekend as a whole: Jimmy James will offer vocal impressions, comic Scott Nevins and comedienne troupe Lesbians of Laughter are set to provide laughter, and Lady Bunny is slated to host an afternoon dance party. GLBT artists will show off their work, Amazing Race winner Reichen Lehmuhl will make appearances, and folk/rock musician Christina Havrilla will perform. Local restaurants and stores will join in on the fun with promotions, including a "town-wide happy hour."
"This is my fourth year as a New Hope Celebrates committee chairperson, and each year, with the help of innumerable volunteers and sponsors, we manage to come up with even more elaborate events to entertain and delight people of all backgrounds," said Steve Walny or Weidel Realtors and NewHope-RealEstate.com.
Further information on New Hope Celebrates and its inaugural pride parade can be found online at www.NewHopeCelebrates.com - and for a complete listing of New Hope Pride Events, visit the EDGE Pride Guide.