Out in Tacoma, the city’s official LGBTIQA Pride organization, knows a thing or two about wading through adversity. This year they got a real lesson when extended construction schedules at Wright Park forced organizers to look for a new place to hold the 11th Annual Out in the Park celebration, which happens July 12. Wright Park has been the traditional home of the annual gay pride event, which has drawn an average 4,000 people in recent years. Organizers were sent scrambling this year when event co-chair Shelly Mass and others learned that Metro Parks had misjudged the completion date for a series of upgrades to the park.



“When we signed up, Metro Parks had said Wright Park would be ready,” says Mass. “Then I got the call. We said ‘Oh God’ and started running around and looking at parks. At one point we thought about calling it Out in the Park Goes Out of the Park.”



With heads hung low, Metro Parks officials suggested that Mass and fellow event organizers consider Wapato Park, which made headlines last year when it was discovered that Tacoma Mall sewer lines had been discharging waste directly into the Wapato storm water retention pond, which spilled into the lake. The park also made headlines for an overwhelming presence of duck and goose feces, which at one point earned it the nickname “Duck Poop Park.” Though un-offended by the suggestion, Mass and others decided to try and find an alternative to Duck Poop Park for the event.



“There are signs there that warn people about letting cats drink the water,” says Mass, noting that the annual event generally draws hundreds of children.



Organizers eventually settled on Lincoln-Eldridge Park in East Tacoma, and went to work informing vendors, booth participants, performers and invited guests that the location had changed at the last minute. Because Lincoln Park doesn’t have available power connections, organizers will have to bring in a generator to run power to performance stages and vendor facilities. Thanks to a well-organized group hustle, Mass is optimistic that   the snafu hasn’t doomed the event, which she characterizes as a mellower, family-friendly version of its Seattle counterpart.



“A lot of gay people and a lot of gay couples want to settle down and have   a family,” says Mass. “And a lot of them come to Tacoma. At Tacoma Pride, it’s not uncommon for a lot of people to show up with their kids, and it’s not uncommon for kids to go up and tip the drag queens during the drag show. It’s like a big family reunion.”

What’s in store

Main Stage: Hosted by drag divas Jenu-Wine Beaute and Lady Chablis, along with featured performances by Purty Mouth, Kim Archer Band and Danielle Egnew, this stage will host drag acts as well as various other popular events including the drag for dollars, which will pit Jenu-Wine against Lady Chablis to see who can charm the most dollar donations from the crowd.



Culture Club Stage (2nd Stage): This stage is co-sponsored by Equal Rights Washington and features political discussions and introductions as well as local area visual artists, poets, singers and others. The Culture Club will provide opportunities to learn about local and national political candidates, marriage equality and other social concerns.



Children’s Area: Sponsored by Leonzal Enterprises, the kids’ area is dedicated to the 12-and-younger crowd and will include a bouncy house, a crafts area, bubble table, face painting and clown\magic show presentations.



Vendor Booths: A cross section of local nonprofits, artisans, business and merchandizing opportunities



Food Court: A diverse cross section of local food vendors.



For more information on Out in the Park and Out in Tacoma, go to outintacoma.org.