Denver PrideFest 2010: Sunday parade to be the largest in Denver PrideFest history

Marking its 35th year in 2010, Denver's PrideFest is a celebration of community, heritage, family and culture. It features a parade, rally, four stages of live entertainment, food and 200 vendor booths.

Produced by The GLBT Community Center of Colorado and attended by an estimated 275,000 LGBT people and their friends and families over the two days of the festival. PrideFest creates an estimated $23 million in economic impact for metro Denver, according to a study in 2009 by Birchhill Enterprises.

$23 million bucks is a lot.

Absolut Pride Tour coming to Denver PrideFest 2009

The Main Stage at this year's Denver PrideFest is going to be more fabulous than ever before thanks to the Absolut Pride Tour.

The Absolut Pride Tour featuring 'RuPaul's Drag Race' winner Bebe Zahara Benet will take the Main Stage on Sunday, June 28 from 2:45 - 3:30 p.m. and it is sure to be a show stopper!

Stay tuned for more information as it comes.

Denver PrideFest 2009: State Representative Mark Ferrandino

Another of Colorado's openly gay politicians, State Rep. Mark Ferrandino, was also on the scene yesterday at PrideFest.

I caught up with him at in the VIP area.

We are both Very Important People.

Him a little more so than me.

Planned Parenthood of the rocky mountains announces Men’s Sexual Health program debut coincides with Men’s Health Week and Denver PrideFest 2010

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains today announced its Men’s Sexual Health Program located at Planned Parenthood’s Aurora health center.

PPRM has a long history of offering men’s health care services such as physical exams, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, testicular and colon cancer screenings, and cholesterol and high blood pressure tests. The Men’s Sexual Health Program will include specialized care for the evaluation and treatment of premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction.

The debut of these new services coincides with National Men’s Health Week, June 14-20. PPRM is recognizing Men’s Health Week by encouraging men to visit their health care provider for regular checkups, preventive screenings, or any health issue.

The debut also coincides with Denver PrideFest 2010, June 19-20.

“Our new services will enable us to provide a greater continuum of care for men. We know people, including men, depend on us to meet all their reproductive and basic primary health care needs,” said Amy Dickson, vice president of clinical operations for PPRM. “Because men often are less likely than women to seek health care, it is our goal to help men access the care they need in an environment they feel welcomed.”

Clients interested in the Men’s Sexual Health Program are welcome to make an appointment or walk in.

“Men’s Health Week is the perfect time for men to remind themselves that preventive care is important to remaining healthy and reproductive health should not be overlooked,” said Dickson.

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 8,400 new cases of testicular cancer were diagnosed in 2009.[1] Up to 10 percent of men of all ages experience ongoing problems with erectile dysfunction[2] and an estimated 30 to 70 percent of men experience premature or rapid ejaculation, a condition that is reported most commonly in men aged 18 to 30 years old.[3] In addition, STDs continue to pose a serious public health threat in this country and affect both sexes. In 2007, 74 percent of HIV/AIDS diagnosis among adolescents and adults were males.[4]

Planned Parenthood is committed to providing access to basic and reproductive health care for men. In 2009 PPRM saw 8,620 male clients, which represents 7 percent of its total client base. From 2008 to 2009, PPRM saw a 16 percent increase in male clients throughout its region of Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, and New Mexico. During Men’s Health Week, PPRM will be conducting community outreach activities to raise awareness for men’s health and JR’s in Denver will host a men’s health trivia night on June 14.

Denver PrideFest 2010: 11 weeks and counting!

With eleven weeks to go before Denver PrideFest 2010, The Center is busy lining up entertainers, signing with vendors, and organizing volunteers for the big weekend, June 19 and 20.

In the meantime, you can indulge in the spirit of Denver PrideFests past by checking out the links to the 2008 and 2009 Denver PrideFest Blogs.

Denver Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce names The Center as Nonprofit of the Year

Capping a historic year, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado (The Center) was recently named the Nonprofit of the Year by the Denver Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber cited several Center accomplishments that went into its decision, including the purchase of a new home at 1301 E. Colfax Ave. The purchase marks the first time in The Center's 33-year history that it has owned its own building.

"The Center has made amazing strides in 2009. On top of embarking on an ambitious capital campaign and purchasing a new home, The Center has created new programs for the transgender community, as well as for GLBT families and elders," said Ed Robinson, chairman of the Denver Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. "It did this while growing the Rainbow Alley program for youth, hosting its first 9News Health Fair and organizing the largest PrideFest in Denver history."

Read more after the jump.


In 2009, The Center launched a three-year, $3.5 million capital campaign that included $2.5 million for the purchase and renovation of the Colfax building, which is scheduled to open in May 2010. The Center also created new programs and services to promote healthy lifestyles, to engage GLBT parents and to provide support and educational seminars for older gays and lesbians.

In addition, The Center named a Transgender Advocate and was active in the April trial of Allen Andrade, who was convicted of first-degree murder and a hate crime against Angie Zapata, a young transgender woman in Greeley.

Past recipients of the DGLCC's Nonprofit of the Year award include the Colorado AIDS Project, Jewish Family Services and Community Shares.

"We're honored that the Chamber recognized all of the hard work of our staff and board in 2009," said Center Executive Director Carlos Martinez. "It's been a phenomenal year for us, and it's rewarding to get that acknowledgement."



Denver PrideFest 2009: Check out the recently added talent!

Only 26 days to Denver's biggest and best LGBT celebration! Check out the entertainment lineups at www.denverpridefest.org.

Recently added talent includes DJ/Producer Dan De Leon on the Three Olives Dance stage, God-Des and She to the Saturday women's celebration, and Nina Flowers to the Latin Stage.

It's going to be a weekend packed with the hottest entertainment in Denver!

Boulder PrideFest Block Party 2009

Be part of celebrating yourself, your family, and your friends, Pearl Street Mall will be a place of welcome for Boulder County’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community with the PrideFest Block Party, presented by Boulder Pride.

The Block Party celebrates the lives and local contributions of LGBT people, their families and allies. This year’s event is slated for Saturday, September 12 from 12-5 pm on the Pearl Street Mall and the Boulder County Courthouse lawn with festivities continuing into the night at the “Block Party After Dark,” hosted by the Bside Lounge..

The PrideFest Block Party will be free and open to the public. The event is made possible through the generous support of numerous community sponsors including the City of Boulder Human Relations Commission, Roche Colorado, Boulder Valley Center for Dermatology, Vermilion, Out Front Colorado, and Mike’s Camera.

For more information, contact Boulder Pride at 303-499-5777 or visit www.boulderpride.org.

Stonewall Dems monthly membership meeting

The Stonewall Democrats monthly membership meeting takes place this month on April 16, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Colorado Democratic Party HQ, 777 Santa Fe Drive in Denver. Discussions will include ongoing events as well as planning for Denver PrideFest 2009.

Check out Out Front Colorado's Guide to Denver PrideFest 2009

* click to embiggen and read

GLBT Community Center of Colorado to host Grand Opening celebration on Sept. 17

Marking a milestone in Colorado GLBT history, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado (The Center) will host a Grand Opening celebration of its new $2.5 million home at 1301 E. Colfax Ave. on Sept. 17 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

 

The Center now owns its own home for the first time in its 34-year history, and has doubled the amount of space it had at its location on Broadway.
 
"The building is quickly becoming the epicenter for the LGBT community and beyond -- a central meeting place, an information hub and a community resource," said Center Executive Director Carlos Martinez.

The Center bought the former Video One building for $985,000 in May 2009 and renovations began last fall. The building was completed in early July and The Center opened to the public on July 12. 

 

Some of the highlights of the new building:  

• 15,000 square feet, doubling The Center's old space
• Four floors including a rooftop patio
• Decreased carbon footprint with green construction and renovation
• Expanded space for conference facilities and meetings

The City and County of Denver played a significant role in facilitating the purchase of the building by providing The Center a $250,000 nonprofit community block grant.

 

"The City and County of Denver is pleased to be involved in making the new Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado a reality," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. "Denver has long been a leader in the Rocky Mountain region in the fight for fair and equal treatment of all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. The new Center is reflective of that, and will boost economic development efforts on the East Colfax corridor."

The Center is expected to attract more than 3,500 visitors a month to its new location, which will provide a direct economic benefit to the businesses in the vicinity.  In addition, The Center hosts PrideFest every year, which creates an estimated $23 million in annual economic impact for the city, according to a 2009 research study by Birchill Enterprises.

The Center is in the second year of a three-year, $3.5 million comprehensive campaign to fund the building's purchase and renovation, as well as The Center's operations. The campaign also will create an endowment fund to ensure The Center's continued success.

The Center so far has raised about $2.8 million toward its $3.5 million goal, which it expects to reach by the end of 2011.

The GLBT Community Center of Colorado is the only statewide, nonprofit community center dedicated to empowering and advancing Colorado's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population. It serves as a catalyst for community organizing, support services, social activities and cultural events. To learn more about The Center, click here.

Got plans for the 4th of July?

Now that PrideFest is out of the way it's time to start planning for 4th of July weekend.

Check out the 2009 Guide to Denver's 4th of July Celebrations and enjoy everything Denver has to offer for the 4th of July.

2009 Colorado Springs PrideFest Parade

Some great footage courtesy of the Pride Center.

Denver Dyke March 2009

Denver PrideFest's Family Field Day was host to the inaugural Denver Dyke March. Hundreds marched and thousands watched and screamed "whoo-hoo!"

Scenes from EuroPride 2009: Zurich

Zurich, "Downtown Switzerland", was the host to 50,000+ gays, lesbians, families and friends (Fun Fact: Your friendly neighborhood Denver PrideFest boasted around 250,000attendees last year)for the 16th annual Europride Festival held on June 6.

Check out the scene here.

MileHighGayGuy 2008 Year in Review: Weekly Poll Results

2008 was a crazy year – lots of ups and downs and lots of winners and losers. But in the weekly MileHighGayGuy polls, you voted and made your voices heard with the following results:

Favorite Colorado GLBT publication: Metromode (36%) (Are they still around? Somebody let me know!)

Best gay bar/club in Denver: The Wrangler (52%) (Looking for a few good men? Look no further!)

Pick for President: Hillary Clinton (42%) (She didn’t make the Oval Office, but she’ll more than fill Condi’s shoes as Secretary of State.)

Favorite Denver restaurant: Hamburger Mary’s (42%) (Go for the food, stay for the fun – and the cute guys … and the great parties … and the drag queens … and the patio in the summer … and so on.)

Best Colorado festival: PrideFest (66%) (250,000 queens and queers can’t be wrong.)

See the rest of the results, including how many MHGG readers have slept with someone of the opposite sex or been gay bashed, after the jump.


New Colorado Sunday liquor law: It’s a good thing (68%) (Who doesn’t enjoy a little holy water on Sundays?)

Concerned about the economy?: Hell, yes! (42%) (We’re all in this together – we just didn’t know “this” would be the poorhouse!)

Ever slept with someone of the opposite sex?: Yes (57%) (We all experiment in high school.)

Ever been gay bashed?: No (37%) (This was a close one, because while 37 % haven’t, 35 % have, and for 27 %, a failed attempt was made – we’ve got a long way to go, and Rick Warren ain’t helping things, Obama!)

Favorite national gay publication: Instinct (46%) (You must have seen MHGG in there – right?)

Who do you think you are?: Normal (36%) (Define “normal.”)

What’s your sport?: Swimming, hockey, and tennis tied (28% each) (Hot sex wasn’t among the choices.)

Did Angie Zapata provoke her own murder?: No (61%) (You said it – being closeted isn’t a crime, and nobody deserves to die for who they are.)

Clay Aiken coming out: No surprise (54%) (His macho-butch-he-man act didn’t fool MHGG readers.)

Should straight dating services be legally bound to cater to gays?: No (50%) (If they’re forced to find you a match, imagine who you could end up with! Stick to the bars, where you can at least see what they really look like after you sober up!)

Call in gay to work on Day Without a Gay?: No (62%) (If you’re on the Internet reading MHGG, I KNOW you’re at work!)

Boycott Utah?: Yes (54%) (Umm, we didn’t really go there BEFORE the Prop. 8 vote anyway.)

Date a transguy?: No (64%) (MHGG readers are into heavy equipment.)

Who should fill Ken Salazar’s shoes?: Mayor John Hickenlooper (64%) (Sorry, Hick. You got bumped by Michael Bennett – not the Broadway choreographer or the Chargers running back, but the DPS superintendent. But some of us are happy about that – we want you to stay right here in Denver!)

Has Rick Warren affected your opinion of Obama?: Yes (42%) (This was a close one, but MHGG readers don’t like to be stabbed in the back – maybe that’s why they chose Hillary in the primaries.)

You said it in 2008. Thank you for your votes and opinions. Keep reading MHGG and be sure vote the polls in 2009.