Harrisburg’s Pride Festival

The Significance of Another Rainbow Harrisburg’s Pride Festival

by Karen L. Wisotzkey

What is a rainbow? Is it a spectrum of colors formed by refracted rays of sunlight? A miracle of nature? Perhaps an object of folklore that sends people in search of the lucky leprechaun or a pot of gold? For many people, the rainbow, with its multitude of colors, holds a greater significance. The rainbow, in the form of a flag, is a well-known (or maybe not so well known) symbol of gay pride. The spectrum of colors represents the diversity of the members who make up the gay and lesbian community.

Those who display the rainbow flag do so with great pride in who they are. On an afternoon drive through the city, you may have noticed the many rainbow flags and bumper stickers prominently displayed on homes and vehicles. These symbols allow members of the gay community to identify one another from a distance and also let the world know that they have nothing to hide.

During Harrisburg’s Pride Festival, to be held at HACC on Saturday, July 26th from noon to 6 pm, rainbows will adorn the festival grounds in a variety of vendor wares, ranging from clothing and jewelry to key rings, and bumper stickers. The Pride Festival, a celebration of diversity, is for gays and lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders, as well as their friends and families. Even though the festival is designed particularly for the enjoyment of the gay and lesbian community, the general public is invited to attend, join in the festivities and experience the variety of valuable contributions the gay community has to offer. Entertainment for the day will feature groups and individuals reflective of the talent contained within the community. The Harrisburg Men’s Chorus, The Women’s Chorus, 3 J’s and a C, Bobbi Carmitchell, Natalie Darkes, a variety of drag performers (the crown holders from the local clubs) and national recording artists, Betty, and Y’All, from New York City, will all take the stage.

In addition to an entertaining afternoon, the festival grounds will be lined with vendor booths and informational resource stations. The Pride Festival has become a perfect opportunity for the gay and lesbian community to showcase the accomplishments, value, and contributions that its members lend to society.

Dr. Eric Selvey, Publisher of crossroads magazine and the lead coordinator for this year’s festival, expressed particular excitement for a dance scheduled, which will follow the festival. The Pink Triangle Group, made up of HACC students, is organizing the dance. The non-alcoholic event will be held at the Cooper Student Center from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., and is geared toward those between the ages of 16 to 25 (although all ages are welcome). This venture represents an effort by younger gays and lesbians to become involved in the responsibility and values of their community.

This year’s festival is expected to draw a crowd of three to four thousand. Harrisburg’s festival is held late in July to avoid competing with the larger festivals that are held during "Pride Month" in larger cities such as Philadelphia, New York, and DC. In the past, the Pride Festival was held in the city’s Reservoir Park. However, due to a large volume of physically challenged individuals and the hilly terrain of the park, the flat grounds of HACC are more accommodating. Though some may be hesitant to attend this festival for fear of being discovered, or in the case of friends and families, a fear of "gay by association," everyone is encouraged to participate.

According to Dr. Selvey, there is a challenge in promoting this particular festival, due to its sensitive nature. The event is publicized both in gay and lesbian establishments as well as in public media, such as The Patriot News and the City Calendar. Even though the festival is made known, there is a festival policy that forbids the use of media cameras are on festival grounds. However, those who wish to do interviews with pen and pad in hand are more than welcome. Camera crews and interviews are scheduled prior to festival hours in an effort to preserve the anonymity of those who choose to attend.

Dr. Selvey explained that many gays and lesbians may feel isolated simply because they haven’t been exposed to others out there like themselves. This festival presents just such an opportunity. To those who are not gay, the hope is that the general public will see that the gay community is not all about sex, as it is often stereotyped. According to Dr. Selvey, this community is made up of spiritual people, who care about young people in a nurturing way, and who desire to be valued and respected in legal terms as well as in their everyday lives. This community provides excellent support within itself through churches, switchboards, youth groups, business associations, political organizations, and awareness groups that meet the needs of its members’ diverse challenges.

This year’s festival has gained the support of several well-known underwriters. This year, Corestates Bank and Cellular One join former supporters Pizza Hut, Wilsbaugh Distributors, and Days Inn Airport. Other supporters include B-TLS, Crossroads, The Neptune Lounge, Heaven Restaurant, Stallions, and The Strawberry Café. Dr. Selvey was also proud to announce that the local bars have been more supportive this year in volunteering to donate prizes for raffles and funds for printing tickets. Even the festival planning committee has grown this year to include three women on a typically male-dominated panel.

As the festival grows, with additional area businesses and individuals becoming involved, the general public’s awareness of the gay and lesbian community’s significant presence is enhanced. This is a positive sign, according to Dr. Selvey, because the gay and lesbian community seeks, not to be isolated, but to be recognized as a valuable and integral part of society.

If the symbolism of the rainbow flag is new to you, why not venture out with an open mind to learn more? Harrisburg’s Pride Festival may not be what you expected to find at the end of the rainbow. However, it does promise to present a vast spectrum of diverse individuals who, in their differences, find a unifying bond that enables them to come together as one community.

For more info. about Hbg’s Pride Festival, call (717) 238-8112, or access the web site at: members.aol.com/hburgpride.