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Greater Lehigh Valley
Pride in the Park Festival 2007

CLICK HERE TO SEE A HUGE PHOTO ALBUM OF THE 2007 FESTIVAL

PA Diversity Network is proud to have participated in the Greater Lehigh Valley Pride in the Park Festival on August 19, 2007. The festival was attended by over 3500 people even though there were frequent rainshowers. There were dozens of vendor and community organization booths (see a list below) and a stage with fabulous professional entertainment. Dozens of elected officials, candiates and PA State and local leaders spoke from the stage including:

Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham, State Representative Joe Brennan, Northampton County Councilman Charles Dertinger, Allentown City Council member Mike D'Amore, Former Allentown City Council member Gail Hoover, Philadelphia Common Pleas (and former Allentown LGBT advocate) Judge Dan Anders, Allentown School board member and candidate for Allentown City Council Robert E. Smith Jr., Lehigh County Council member and candidate for Common Pleas Judge Dan McCarthy, Tom Slonaker, Whitehall Twp Commissioner & candidate for Lehigh County Commissioner, candidate for Congress Siobhan "Sam" Bennett, candidate for Lehigh County Commissioner Gloria Hamm, Steve Barron candidate for Northampton County Controller, candidate for Allentown City Council Peter Schweyer (also Representing State Representative Jennifer Mann as her Chief of Staff), candidate for Allentown City Council Mike Donovan, candidate for Allentown Controller Mike Schware and candidate for Allentown Controller William Hoffman.
Though the Mayor and other elected officials of the City of Bethlehem were all invited to the event they did not attend and among them, only Mayor Callahan and City Councilman Willie Reyonolds contacted Pride with regrets.
Also speaking were Steve Glassman, Chairman of the PA State Human Relations Commission, Rev. Beth Goudy of MCC, Liz Bradbury, Vice Chair of the Allentown Human Relations Commission, and Allyson Diane Hamm, Allentown Human Relations Commissioner. GLV Pride Vice Chair Rob Hopkins hosted this part of the stage program.


At our PA Diversity Network / Valley Gay Press booth we:
Took 21 new pictures of committed same-sex couples for the
PA Diversity Network Photo Project - 200 Same-sex Couples Facing Inequality, including three families with children. The Photo Project now includes 209 photos of couples.
(See some of the unformatted color pictures of the couples by clicking the link above.)
We handed out over 400 Valley Gay Presses (all we had) with extra Greater Lehigh Valley Pride Festival pages.
And we encouraged over 300 people to write their state Representatives and State Senators to support equal civil rights in employment, housing and public accommodations for all people based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Pennsylvania.
We met 100s of GLBTA people. And we had a great time!!!


For more information on the Greater Lehigh Valley Pride Festival
click here to go to the Pride GLV web site:
www.prideglv.org


2007 Pride in the Park Highlights include:
Doggie Drag Show – Pups and owners will be “putting on the grrrr-itz” in a doggie-drag showcase presented by Noah’s Biscuit Barn & Bakery of Allentown at 3pm on the festival stage.  Prizes awarded to most creative, biggest diva, best pet and pet-owner look alike and top dog! 

Charity Bingo – Fighting Aids Continuously Together (FACT) of the Lehigh Valley will host Bingo throughout the day featuring local celebrity callers.  Proceeds benefit FACT and Pride in the Park 2007. 

The Pride Pub – Festival attendees twenty-one years of age and older are welcome to enjoy the festival’s “social hot-spot
featuring draft and malt beverage products. 

Meet the Fagbug! – Erin Davies and her VW bug end their cross country odyssey at Pride in the Park.  After becoming a victim of hate, Erin drives her spray painted automobile cross country.  Hear goal is to gather feedback about intolerance from diverse communities in hopes to create a documentary.  Learn more about Erin and her travels at www.fagbug.com. 

Pride Artisan Gallery – Local artisans will display their works created in mixed-mediums along with raffle for select pieces. 

Celebrity Auction – GAYDAR Magazine will present a silent auction of original and autographed celebrity photos and memorabilia with proceeds benefiting the 2007 festival.


 
 2007 FESTIVAL VENDORS as of 08/15/07
Allen High School GSA
Allentown Brew Works
Audrey Michaels Concessions
Bleeding Hearts Club
Cat Shack, The
Conway’s BBQ
CUUPS of UUCLV
Crescent Moon Creations
Crime Victims Council of the LV
Dignity Philadelphia
Divine Canine Creations
Dog’s Den, The
Eastern PA P-Flag
Equality Advocates PA
FACT Lehigh Valley/Bingo Tent
FAGBUG
Gail Hoover - REMAX
GAYDAR Magazine
GJ’s Jewelry
Harrisburg Pride Festival
Hartford Insurance Group, The
HAVEN of UUCLV
Human Rights Campaign
HX Philadelphia
Holiday Inn & Conference Center, Fogelsville
Interfaith Alliance of PA
JR’s London Broil
Just Pride
KB Designs
Lehigh Valley Gay Men’s Chorus
LEPOCO
Lehigh Valley Arts Council
Liberty Gay Rodeo Association
Lighthouse Abstract
MCCLV
Mystical Creations
NBC 10 - Philadelphia
Noah’s Biscuit Barn
Outrageous Unlimited
Pampered Chef, Don Funt
PDN/Valley Gay Press
Pulse Weekly
Pride 365
Rainbow Connection
Reading Pride Celebration
Rita's Concessions
Silpada Designs, Kristen A. Lynch
Silent Witnesses of Central PA
Soulforce Philadelphia
St. John’s Lutheran Church
St. Peter United Church of Christ- Allentown
Starbucks
Stephen’s Flags
Stonewall and Moose Lounge Bar & Grille
T-Mobile
Takeover LV
Temptation Parties
Tera Nova
Theatre Outlet
TLA Entertainment
Turning Point of the LV
Turtle-Tees
Vived Cruises
Woodbury-Schmidt Soap Woods Campground, The
World Class Massage