Courtesy of Tower Grove Pride
Last year, when Pride St. Louis’ annual festival moved downtown, a small group of activists determined that the Tower Grove neighborhood, long invested in the event, should have its own LGBT-centric celebration. Tower Grove Pride’s initial appearance on the scene came with a lot of varied, even heated, conversations and opinions, but any rancor seems to have calmed this year, as the TGP organizing committee eyes a two-part event on Saturday, June 28. Details are now coming into focus on how Tower Grove’s Pride’s grown in a year’s time.
Angelo Olegna, a key organizer of the events says that, “Myself, a few business owners and some activist friends figured things out last year, so we at least want to repeat that success. For example, regarding the entertainment of last year, we simply wanted more. Luckily, that’s working out real well. Last year, we just had a couple bands, ones I grabbed at the last minute. This year we’ll have a lot more, plus a drag show at the end of the night. It’ll be 30 percent gayer than last year, which I’m very proud about.
“Everything been 100 percent easier,” he adds. “It hasn’t been easy, but everybody definitely knows that we’re a positive entity. That was made clear last year. We’re all about having a great celebration of our neighborhood and the people who’ve been supporting us for so many years here. Everyone who was like ‘I don’t know about this,’ are all great now. That’s been very helpful.”
The day starts with a picnic at the popular Tower Grove Farmer’s Market in Tower Grove Park from 10 a.m. to noon. The focus then shifts a few blocks to the east. With Hartford shut down at Grand, The Big Gay Block Party will host all that live music, a drag show, and about 30 art-and-craft vendors, with a run time of noon to 9 p.m. If anything, the amount of interested vendors has reached the point that even nearby alleys are being employed to deal with the need for space.
“We’re trying to figure how to fit everybody,” Olegna says. “They’ll all be local, indie artists, along with people from the wider region. Some people from the county and even outside of St. Louis have responded, a lot of them with a connection to the Tower Grove neighborhood. We’re pleased to see all the people who’ve wanted to participate.”
Last year, some afternoon thunderstorms caused a few tense moments, but Olegna-and-company are confident that the required tents and the sheer number of friendly, nearby businesses will allow for a weather-proof experience, held in the heart of the St. Louis summer.
“We survived the storms of last year and did great,” he says. “As long as there’s enough fun, it doesn’t matter if there’s a storm, or some rain. We’re in the perfect location, no matter the weather.”
For more info, visit facebook.com/TowerGrovePride.
