Annual Pride Festival to Feature Mary Lambert, A Great Big World and others

parade

Boston– June 6, 2014- Boston Pride will celebrate the 2014 Pride Week from Friday, June 6 to Sunday, June 15, with a variety of events that appeal to everyone.  The organization expects to once again celebrate with hundreds of thousands of members of the community and visitors. The theme for Boston Pride Week 2014 is “Be Yourself, Change the World,” and encourages the LGBT community to embrace what makes each individual unique and to use those qualities to change the world for the better. From the kickoff Flag Raising ceremony, to family friendly Pride Day @ Faneuil Hall, to nightly parties all week and culminating with a full weekend of activities with the Pride Parade on  Saturday, June 14 and two block parties in the Back Bay and Jamaica Plain on Sunday, June 15.

“We are very excited for this year’s Pride Week events and would like to thank our wonderful and dedicated volunteers who make magic happen for ten days every year in June,” said Sylvain Bruni, President of Boston Pride.  “Boston Pride would also like to thank the community for coming out year after year to support our mission of equal rights for the LGBT community.”

Boston Pride’s annual parade, one of the city’s largest events, will start at 11am on Saturday, June 14 and will feature more than 200 marching groups and thousands of parade participants. New to this year’s parade, Boston Pride will have two Rainbow Crosswalks painted at the intersection of Boylston and Clarendon Streets, and the intersection of Cambridge and Court Streets. This year’s Pride Grand Marshals, Governor Deval Patrick and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, will lead the parade.  The parade will honor the late John Mitzel, who passed away in October 2013, as the parade’s Honorary Marshal, an honor given posthumously to those individuals who have advanced the community’s cause. Mitzel was a writer and the founder of Calamus Bookstore.

Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN) will be set up on Boylston Street near the intersection of Charles Street, recording the entire parade for a later televised broadcast.  Commentators for the Pride Parade on BNN are Fast Freddy Murphy of Mix 104.1 and former Pride board member Keri Aulita Califano, with Boston Pride President Sylvain Bruni conducting interviews with parade marchers.

The Pride Parade ends at City Hall Plaza where the Pride Festival of entertainment takes place. From 12 pm to 6 pm, there will be local acts leading up to  amazing headlining acts including A Great Big World, Mary Lambert, Alex Newell, JD Samson  and Jeanie Tracy. Local performers include performances by funk band Big Ol Dirty Bucket, Ray Isaac, Jack Romanov , Washing Well Wenches and 12 year old vocalist Mia Shahood.  The festival will be emceed by “DJ Glitter” from 99.9, and will feature performances by drag queens Penny Annalise  and Yune Neptune.

There are some exciting changes and additions to the 2014 Pride events. This year’s Boston Pride’s Human Rights & Education Committee’s public panel on Monday June 9th will discuss LGBT Rights in India, and the effects of Section 377, which recriminalized homosexuality in India. Also new this year is a VIP Corner at the Back Bay Block Party on Sunday June 15th, which offers guests the premier experience at the Block Party with exclusive access to entertainers and private facilities.

Boston Pride Calendar of Events For Pride Week 2014

Friday, June 6th

12pmFlag Raising

City Hall, Boston

6:30pm-8:30pmPride Diplomatic Reception

SAAC offices, 2 Atlantic Avenue, Boston

 

10pmBoston Pride at Night/ Black Pride

                                Oberon, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge

 

Saturday, June 7th

10am-5pmPride Day @ Faneuil Hall

Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston

 

Sunday, June 8th

3pm-7pmLGBT Senior Pride Tea Dance

Holiday Inn, 1200 Beacon Street, Brookline

               

Monday, June 9th

6pm-8:30pmHuman Rights and Education Forum

Fenway Health, 1354 Boylston St, Boston

 

Tuesday, June 10th

10pm-2amBoston Retrospective (photographic collection by Stephen Baumbach)

Back Bay Harry’s, 142 Berkeley St, Boston

 

Wednesday, June 11th

10pm-2amLatin Pride

Rumor Nightclub, 100 Warrenton St, Boston

 

Thursday, June 12th

7pm-2am- Pride Queeraoke

MIDWAY Café, 3496 Washington St. JP

 

7pmPride Night at Fenway Park

Indians vs. Red Sox

 

8pmBoston Gay Men’s Chorus’ Pride Concert: Can’t Stop the Beat- feat. Alex Newell

New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, 30 Gainborough St, Boston

 

                10pm-2amBoston Pride at Night: Glamlife Thursdays with Bianca Del Rio

The Estate, 1 Boylston Pl, Boston

 

Friday, June 13th

 

10:30 amBoston Pride Press Conference

   Nine Zero Hotel, Reflect Room, 3rd Floor

  90 Tremont Street, Boston

 

7pmBoston Dyke March

Boston Common Gazebo, Boston

 

8pm- Boston Gay Men’s Chorus’ Pride Concert: Can’t Stop the Beat- feat. Alex Newell

New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston

 

9pmBoston Pride at Night: Dyke March Official After Party

Milky Way, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain

 

                9pmBoston Pride at Night: Queer Pride with DJ Niina Flowers

Guilt, 75 Warrenton St, Boston

 

                10pm-2amBoston Pride at Night: Latin @Pride

Machine Nightclub, 1254 Boylston St, Boston

 

Saturday, June 14th

11amBoston Pride Parade

Copley Square to City Hall Plaza, Boston

 

12pm-6pmBoston Pride Festival

City Hall Plaza, Boston

 

2pm-7pmEsme Block Party

Boylston Place, Boston

 

6pm-10pmBoston Pride Youth Dance

City Hall Plaza, Boston

 

7pm-2am- Boston Pride at Night: Lush Pride Party

Machine Nightclub, 1254 Boylston St, Boston

 

7pm-2am- Boston Pride at Night: LesbianNightLife Women’s Dance Party

UNDERBAR, 275 Tremont St, Boston

 

                9pm-2am- Boston Pride at Night: Main Event with DJ Abel

                                House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston

 

10pm-2amBoston Pride at Night: Latin @Pride

                                La Makina, 367 Revere Beach Blvd, Revere

 

Sunday, June 15

12pm-7pm- JP Block Party

Perkins St, Jamaica Plain

 

12pm-8pmBack Bay Block Party

St James Ave, Boston

 

3pmBoston Gay Men’s Chorus’ Pride Concert: Can’t Stop the Beat-feat. Alex Newell

New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston

 

                9pm-2amBoston Pride at Night: Finale with Kidd Madonny

Royale, 279 Tremont St, Boston

 

More information and details for Boston Pride’s 2014 Pride Week can be found at www.bostonpride.org.

 

For real time news and exclusive updates download the app for your iPhone or Android today!

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @BostonPride, on Instagram @Boston.Pride and on Vine.

 

About Boston Pride

Boston Pride produces events and activities to achieve inclusivity, equality, respect, and awareness in Greater Boston and beyond. Fostering diversity, unity, visibility and dignity, we educate, communicate and advocate by building and strengthening community connections.

 

###