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Belleville's first gay pride event is slated for downtown tonight
Organizers expect hundreds to attend
BY RICKEENA J. RICHARDS AND LAURA GIRRESCH
( Belleville News-Democrat)
BELLEVILLE --The owners of Club Escapade marked the city's first gay pride event, which takes place tonight, by decorating the bar with rainbow umbrellas on outdoor tables and a rainbow flag atop the building.
"I think Belleville's ready for this," bar co-owner Harold Schwartz said Friday about tonight's first Metro-East Gay Pride Street Fair, hosted by the bar at 133 W. Main St.
The outdoor street festival, which will be open to the public and run from 6 to 10 p.m., will feature local food vendors and bands, educational booths and speakers, including local church leaders. Fairgoers also can go into the bar, which will be open until 2 a.m.
Second Street will be closed between West Main Street and A Street during the event.
Schwartz called his bar an "alternative bar," adding, "We're friendly to all ... everybody should have a place to go and not be criticized."
"The gay people in Belleville tend to hide," said Janet Brannon, a founder of the sponsoring group, Metro-East Gays and Straights. "And this is the first time they're not hiding."
While St. Louis has hosted an annual Pridefest Parade for a number of years, this is the first major gay pride event in Belleville, and it's taking place this month because June is National Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. MEGS organizers expect hundreds of people from around the region to attend.
At a Belleville Human Relations Commission meeting Thursday, community members and organization leaders talked about the effects the event could have on the city. (cont'd below)
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"I'm really glad that pride is being brought to Belleville," said Keith Schmidt, the event's emcee. "Belleville needs to be pulled into the 21st century."
Derek Slay, vice president of the St. Clair County Historical Society, said it could be "a great selling point for the city," as a "true pride in diversity" event.
He said if people want to be able to rave about the neighborhood, they must make sure everyone feels welcome in it.
Schwartz and his partner of 26 years, Rick Hembree, who also co-owns Club Escapade, said they haven't heard any negative reaction to the event from people or businesses in Belleville.
But some people at Thursday's meeting said Belleville might not be ready to embrace gay pride.
Some people shared their experiences of verbal abuse, losing their jobs, physical assault and harassment by law enforcement officers for being gay -- in some instances in Belleville.
Amy McHugh began crying after disclosing to the group she was gay. She said her tears came from the tremendous amount of pressure gay people have to carry with them at all times.
"If I could've changed it, I would have," she said. "It's too hard to be this way. There's nothing to gain by being gay."
Mayor Mark Eckert said Friday he hasn't been made aware of any tension between the straight and gay communities in Belleville.
"I'm not saying I'm glad, I'm not saying I orchestrated it," Eckert said. "The city doesn't have any problem with people coming together to celebrate diversity as long as it's in an orderly fashion and it's about educating the public on different beliefs ... as long as it does not negatively impact the community in any way."
He said the city will have normal police staffing tonight but will target patrols in the area simply because the police department doesn't know how many people to expect at the street fair. Neither the city nor the organizers are hiring extra security.
Contact reporters Laura Girresch at lgirresch@bnd.com www.BnD.com
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First Annual Belleville Gay Pride Event (VITAL VOICE) By vital - Posted on May 15th, 2008 The VItal Voice just got wind that barring a very unlikely "no" vote to close off the street by its City Council, Belleville will be hosting its first ever Gay Pride event on Saturday, June 21, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. It will be held on 2nd street between W. Main and A street(s) outside of Club Escapade, which is located at 133 W. Main street.
The confirmed speakers are:
The Honorable Tom Holbrook, Illinois State Rep.
Mr. Lynn Clapp, Chair, Belleville Human Relations Commission
Mr. Mark Kern, Chair, St. Clair County Board.
There will be music with a DJ, sales of Belleville Pride/Rainbow t-shirts, food and craft booths, and as aforementioned, some inspiring speeches.
We will have more on this story as information comes in. www.thevitalvoice.com
www.DeLariaDammit.com
Belleville's first gay pride event is slated for downtown tonight
Organizers expect hundreds to attend
BY RICKEENA J. RICHARDS AND LAURA GIRRESCH
( Belleville News-Democrat)
BELLEVILLE --The owners of Club Escapade marked the city's first gay pride event, which takes place tonight, by decorating the bar with rainbow umbrellas on outdoor tables and a rainbow flag atop the building.
"I think Belleville's ready for this," bar co-owner Harold Schwartz said Friday about tonight's first Metro-East Gay Pride Street Fair, hosted by the bar at 133 W. Main St. (cont'd below)
The outdoor street festival, which will be open to the public and run from 6 to 10 p.m., will feature local food vendors and bands, educational booths and speakers, including local church leaders. Fairgoers also can go into the bar, which will be open until 2 a.m.
Second Street will be closed between West Main Street and A Street during the event.
Schwartz called his bar an "alternative bar," adding, "We're friendly to all ... everybody should have a place to go and not be criticized."
"The gay people in Belleville tend to hide," said Janet Brannon, a founder of the sponsoring group, Metro-East Gays and Straights. "And this is the first time they're not hiding."
While St. Louis has hosted an annual Pridefest Parade for a number of years, this is the first major gay pride event in Belleville, and it's taking place this month because June is National Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. MEGS organizers expect hundreds of people from around the region to attend.
At a Belleville Human Relations Commission meeting Thursday, community members and organization leaders talked about the effects the event could have on the city.
"I'm really glad that pride is being brought to Belleville," said Keith Schmidt, the event's emcee. "Belleville needs to be pulled into the 21st century."
Derek Slay, vice president of the St. Clair County Historical Society, said it could be "a great selling point for the city," as a "true pride in diversity" event.
He said if people want to be able to rave about the neighborhood, they must make sure everyone feels welcome in it.
Schwartz and his partner of 26 years, Rick Hembree, who also co-owns Club Escapade, said they haven't heard any negative reaction to the event from people or businesses in Belleville.
But some people at Thursday's meeting said Belleville might not be ready to embrace gay pride.
Some people shared their experiences of verbal abuse, losing their jobs, physical assault and harassment by law enforcement officers for being gay -- in some instances in Belleville.
Amy McHugh began crying after disclosing to the group she was gay. She said her tears came from the tremendous amount of pressure gay people have to carry with them at all times.
"If I could've changed it, I would have," she said. "It's too hard to be this way. There's nothing to gain by being gay."
Mayor Mark Eckert said Friday he hasn't been made aware of any tension between the straight and gay communities in Belleville.
"I'm not saying I'm glad, I'm not saying I orchestrated it," Eckert said. "The city doesn't have any problem with people coming together to celebrate diversity as long as it's in an orderly fashion and it's about educating the public on different beliefs ... as long as it does not negatively impact the community in any way."
He said the city will have normal police staffing tonight but will target patrols in the area simply because the police department doesn't know how many people to expect at the street fair. Neither the city nor the organizers are hiring extra security.
Contact reporters Laura Girresch at lgirresch@bnd.com www.BnD.com
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