The streets of the Gayborhood will be teeming with rainbows this weekend as Philadelphia stages the world’s largest celebration of National Coming Out Day.
OutFest, now in its 21st year, is expected to bring about 40,000 LGBTs and allies to Center City from noon-6 p.m. Sunday for an afternoon of socializing, shopping and celebrating.
“Everybody just gets so excited for OutFest,” said Franny Price, executive director of Philly Pride Presents, which stages both OutFest and June’s Pride festival. “It’s so unique to the Gayborhood and just a really fun day for the community.”
This year’s festival will be extended down 12th Street to Pine, to take in the area surrounding Giovanni’s Room. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Mayor Nutter and community leaders will unveil a new historic marker outside of Giovanni’s Room, the oldest LGBT bookstore in the nation, paying tribute to the bookstore’s rich history.
PECO will also pay tribute to the city’s LGBT community by displaying, for the first time, a light-up tribute to OutFest Sunday at the top of its towering building.
Also new to the festivities is the addition of a photo booth where festivalgoers can capture their time at OutFest for $5, with proceeds benefiting Philly Pride Presents, and the inclusion of the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, whose performers will be wowing audiences throughout the festival.
The crowd will be served a full schedule of entertainment, from the traditional delivery of “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Gayborhood” by Michael Byrne to a workout session, performances by Chad D, drag entertainers such as “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Mimi Imfurst and her Doll House Revue, acts from Bob and Barbara’s and Brittany Lynn’s Drag Mafia, as well as Goddess Isis, Needle Jones, Miss Philly Gay Pride Charlene Summer Moore and Miss Philly Black Pride Karen Vonsay.
When not performing, Goddess Isis and Mrs. P. will circle through the festival to gather footage for their popular YouTube hit “It’s Always Funny in Philadelphia.”
The main stage, at 13th and Locust streets, will also host contests like the penis-shaped bagel-eating competition, high-heel race, pet contest and a kids’ magic show.
Apart from the entertainment, the stage area will also host the youth-applause wave, which will take place at 4 p.m. Started last year in light of the wave of LGBT youth suicides, Price said organizers wanted to continue the tradition to emphasize to the community’s young people that they’re not alone.
“We had 92 youth on stage last year and hundreds more in front of the stage and the applause was just deafening. To see the looks on their faces was just incredible,” she said. “It’s important for them to know that we’re there for them. We can’t talk to each young person and tell them that, but we can tell them all together like this.”
Organizers will also pay tribute to several community leaders with the annual awards presentation. The 2011 honorees include OutProud Award winner Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia, Gilbert Baker National OutProud Award winner Giovanni’s Room, OutProud Friend Award winner Ronda Goldfein and OutStanding Youth Award winner Jermaine Benton.
Price said MCCP, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, has always been “out and proud in the community,” and its members have been fixtures in the annual Pride festivities, investing months of energy into preparing a performance for the parade each year.
MCCP pastor the Rev. Jeffrey Jordan said the award was especially meaningful because of the church’s anniversary year.
“For 40 years, Metropolitan Community Church has been on a mission of proclaiming God’s love for whosoever, and we dedicate the award to all those who have served the ministry of MCCP over the last 40 years,” he said.
Price added that the Gilbert Baker award was also appropriate given the marker dedication Sunday that honors the store’s influence, which she noted is national, and said Goldfein has been integral in engaging the community’s allies in LGBT- and HIV/AIDS-rights work.
Benton, 18 and a recent graduate of the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, has been a member of The Attic for two years.
Carrie Jacobs, the agency’s executive director, said Benton is a talented artist who proved integral to the organization’s completion of a mural this past summer and also excelled as a volunteer for The Attic’s Bryson Institute, where he worked with foster parents.
“Watching him grow and become more involved in the center, which is really his own community, has been so inspiring,” Jacobs said. “He’s really creative and talented and has become such a contributor to the community.”
In addition to the stage festivities, activities will abound throughout the festival — from mechanical-bull rides to a trampoline to a water-gun game — with specialized sections, including a pet zone, dance spot, sports area and family section.
Guests can also partake in a raffle, with prizes such as $1,500 toward a trip with Agape Travel.
About 130 vendors are expected to line the streets this year, offering merchandise and a wealth of information on local and national LGBT resources.
One of the vendors, Jeans Donation, will be collecting garments that will be distributed to the city’s needy.
The nonprofit organization, launched in 2007, accepts jeans of all shapes, sizes and conditions for men and women, and donates them to those struggling with homelessness, those who are returning to the city after spending time in prison and many others.
The company also collects T-shirts, and CEO John Jones encouraged OutFest participants to bring their garments to the event to help those in need.
In addition to the streets, the bars throughout the area will also be packed throughout the day; Woody’s will host the official OutFest kick-off party, and outdoor celebrations will also be held in front of Tabu and Sisters.
For more information about OutFest, visit www.phillypride.org.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].
