PrideFest Happened!

After months of delay to our typical June event, PrideFest has finally happened. It was a beautiful weekend, that was met with much positivity from the crowd of around 10,000 Pride revelers, spread over both days. Saturday night's street party was a raging success, capped off with headliner Thea Austin's exuberant personality, catchy dance music and confetti canons that shot off from the stage.

The Pride parade on Sunday was the largest in Des Moines' history with over 70 entrants and close to 400 marchers. The community festival that followed the parade had food, beverage, merchandise and corporate vendors and thousands of people celebrating LGBT pride. Sunday's festival was brought to a close by headliner Frenchie Davis with the crowd demanding an encore.

We are continuing to plan for the 2009 PrideFest event, scheduled for the second weekend of June. There was overwhelming feedback from those that attended this rare October PrideFest for a yearly fall event. The planning committee is considering options for a fall event, separate from PrideFest.

We wish to thank all of our sponsors, volunteers and countless others that helped to make this year's postponed PrideFest a big success!

Our next planning committee meeting will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2008. Please click here for location and more info. We will hold elections and resume our annual meeting.

Des Moines Register Photos posted of Pride Parade

http://desmoines.metromix.com/events/photogallery/pridefest-parade/657083/content

Pride weekend events

FIRST ANNUAL IOWA PRIDE INSTITUTE: Part 2

10/3/08 9am-4pm

Please Join Us for the FIRST ANNUAL IOWA PRIDE INSTITUTE: Part 2 Hosted by Iowa Pride Network and Capital City Pride WHO: Leaders of Iowa’s LGBT & Allied Organizations WHEN: Friday, October 3, 2008; 9:00 AM-4:00 PM WHERE: Des Moines Public Library, Room 2, 1000 Grand Avenue, Des Moines Parking: Locust Mall Ramp (8th St...[more]

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One Iowa Presents Sweet Equality

10/3/08 5:30pm - 8pm

Join us for the First Annual Sweet Equality! Professional chefs, local celebrities and businesses will come together to show off their skills in the name of Equality! To celebrate Iowa's rich history of equality, you are invited to a fun-filled evening of dessert competition, wine tasting, friends and music! Amateur Sweet Equality competitors include local celebrities such as First Lady Christie Vilsack, Tracy Levine, Christine Hensley and a special treat from Meredith Corp...[more]

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Party instead of Politics on 13th Street in front of Ritual Cafe

10/3/08 4pm - 11pm

Party instead of Politics! It's going to be a GOP (Gay Ol' Party!) and DNC (Dykes Need Change!) at the Ritual! Come on out and let's just queer it up! Pre-Pride Party happenin' on 13th Street between Grand and Locust on Friday October 3rd from 4PM to 11PM There will be live music, food, art, fashion and lots of fun and entertainment for all!!!! Wristbands (admission) will be $5...[more]

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PrideFest 2008 Street Party - East Village

10/4/08 6pm to 12am

Please join us for this annual event to celebrate Des Moines' LGBT pride in the Historic East Village...[more]

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First Annual Statewide Leadership Summit

10/4/08 9am-4pm

Want to be a part of history? This October, LGBT Iowans from across the state will gather in Des Moines to celebrate a momentous year for equality in Iowa...[more]

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PrideFest 2008 Parade and Community Festival

10/5/08 12pm to 6pm

The annual community festival is typically held in June, but due to flooding this year we had to postpone our events...[more]

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Celebrate Pride 2008 at the Garden

10/5/08 Doors open at 2pm

4-8pm all ages: Tea Dance Karaoke All ages until 8:30pm 9:30pm Garden Show Cast, featuring Garden Showcast and our Special Guests! Games, Prizes, Give-a-ways...[more]

Elections and resuming of Annual Meeting 11/6/2008

http://www.capitalcitypride.org/event.php?id=136

Elections will happen at the November meeting. Come one, come all!

Vendor information on our website

http://www.capitalcitypride.org/vendorinfo.php

Iowa native Anthony Marinaro set to Emcee PrideFest 2008!

Capital City Pride proudly welcomes Anthony Marinaro as Emcee for PrideFest 30th Anniversary Celebration! Anthony has been a part of the Des Moines gay community since he was 15 years old and worked with the GLRC's Youth Alliance. He helped establish the first Gay Prom, Teen Shows, and Teen Pageants in Des Moines. He also has served as a judge for several pageants, including Miss Gay Iowa US of A. As a promoter for Miss Gay Iowa US of A, he produced 6 preliminary pageants in less than 2 years, garnering the highest recognition from the pageant. Anthony earned his emcee experience hosting shows on a regular basis at The Garden and the former Frat house. More recently Anthony has been involved with the Pride Brunch and is the go-to emcee for many events for the past 4 years, working for such groups as the ISU LGBTA Alliance, Garden nightclub, Liars club, and the former Impulse. Anthony currently resides in the South side of Des Moines, where he owns the catering and event planning business, Out Of Box.

Anti-gay harassment statement

Historic East Village, Capital City Pride, and One Iowa are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all in East Village. Though we are troubled by recent events involving anti-gay harassment, we are heightening our awareness of the issue and working closely with the Des Moines Police Department, neighborhood residents, restaurants, bars and stores to ensure this year's PrideFest 2008 proceeds without incident.