This year’s Big Island Pride Parade is promising to be as bright and colorful as ever as it cruises though the streets of Hilo starting at noon on Saturday and winding its way to Mooheau Bandstand Park to begin the
This year’s Big Island Pride Parade is promising to be as bright and colorful as ever as it cruises though the streets of Hilo starting at noon on Saturday and winding its way to Mooheau Bandstand Park to begin the Pride Festival at 1 p.m.
“We have marching bands, marching groups, floats on the backs of pickup trucks and spontaneous entries, which will remain a mystery,” said Greg Lupton, a Big Island resident for three years and the chairman of the Hawaii Island Pride Committee. “And the winners of this year’s Pride Pageant will also be honored in the parade, as well.”
The festival entry at Mooheau park will have a rainbow of balloons welcoming everyone to the festival. The “Fabulous Drag Queen &Kings” will be in the line up of events along with the “Puna’s Men’s Chorus,” the “Bruddah Kuz Band,” the “Solstice Band” and the “Groovy Lesbian Band and Tim.”
“But the real value of this day is seeing people show up with their friends and family,” said Lupton. “And then they meet other groups and so on. Its about bringing people together. That’s what builds community.”
This year’s Pride Parade has special significance after the Orlando Night Club Shooting on June 12.
“We received a ground swell of support for the Parade the day after the massacre,” said Lupton. “It really energized our volunteers and reminded us all why events like Pride, if even just one day a year, are so important.”
In the parade, there will be an entry “Remembering the Victims in Orlando.” As well, Hawaii Island Pride will be presenting a community ceremony, “Peace Vigil for the Victims of Hatred,” a candlelight vigil, that will be happening on Sunday, with details of location and time to be announced at the parade.
“We found that after the shooting in Orlando, many people expressed themselves on social media,” said Lupton. “But this weekend’s Pride events are ‘Real Space’ vs. Facebook. Social media isn’t enough. We are flesh and blood people, We need to share space and have a chance to come together.”
The Pride Parade is a day when all the color, creativity, and freedom to be excited about either being a member of the LGBT community or being a supporter of the LGBT community, comes to life. Loud and clear. Full of acceptance and levity and aloha.
“This is the year to just show up,” said Lupton. “This year, more then ever, is the moment to come together and ignite the entire Big Island community.” ■
