GOV. RENDELL SCHEDULED TO MARCH IN NEW HOPE GAY PRIDE PARADE, MAY 17
by: Emily Irwin, OIA Newswire

GOVERNOR RENDELL SCHEDULED TO MARCH IN NEW HOPE'S GAY PRIDE PARADE, SATURDAY, MAY 17 AT 11:00 A.M.

NEW HOPE, PA (May 9, 2008) - Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell is scheduled to participate in The EDSites.net Pride Parade on Saturday, May 17 in New Hope. Featuring the Lesbian and Gay Big Apple Corp Marching Band from New York City, this 2nd annual parade is a focal point of New Hope Celebrates Pride Weekend. The march begins at 11:00 a.m., rain or shine, at New Hope-Solebury High School on West Bridge Street, continues down West Ferry Street and turns right on South Main Street. After the parade, additional performances take place on West Mechanic Street, which closes to traffic until 6:00 p.m. for a street fair featuring antiques, arts and music.

"The parade and the entire weekend showcase New Hope and our diverse community," says Louis Licitra, Chair of New Hope Celebrates Pride 2008. "It is fast becoming an annual New Hope tradition which highlights our varied history and our commitment to the future as a gay-friendly destination."

New Hope Celebrates Pride is a weekend devoted to New Hope, Pennsylvania's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and allied (GLBTA) visitors, friends and neighbors. Proceeds from various activities, parties and performances raise money to support Fighting AIDS Continuously Together (FACT) Bucks County, Philadelphia FIGHT, Trevor Project and William Way Community Center. A full schedule of events and ticketing information is available online at www.NewHopeCelebrates.com.

"Pride festivals throughout the United States celebrate the liberation and self-actualization of GLBT people as they commemorate the riot at the Stonewall Bar in New York City in 1969," explains Stephen A. Glassman, Chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, an active supporter of New Hope Celebrates. "Today we continue to fight for full equality while recognizing how far we have come as a community in the last 39 years. We are very close to passing a non-discrimination bill in Pennsylvania so that we can join 20 other states that have already passed this legislation."

According to Mr. Glassman, Governor Rendell has been a longstanding ally in this fight for equality for GLBT people and has consistently supported the gay community, both as Mayor of Philadelphia and Governor of the Commonwealth: "The Governor has been an outspoken advocate for gay rights and is famous for his midnight visits to gay and lesbian bars during political campaigns for himself and other candidates. As the community often hears 'The Guv loves the Gays!'"

In addition to Governor Rendell and Mr. Glassman, other honored guests in the parade include Judge Daniel Anders of Philadelphia and New Hope Borough Council members including Mayor Larry Keller, Council President Sharyn Keiser, Councilwoman Geraldine Delevich and Councilman Rey Velasco.

Various community organizations demonstrate their pride and support by marching in the parade including the Bucks County Lesbian Alliance, FACT Bucks County, New Hope Eagle Fire Company, Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce, Planned Parenthood of Bucks County's Rainbow Room, St. Philip's Episcopal Church of New Hope, United Christian Church of Levittown and Unitarian Universalist Church of Washington's Crossing.

Other participants include The NJ Eagles Motorcycle Club, the notorious local drag queen Miss Pumpkin, New Hope Carriage, La Femme Finishing School and Bitch Mode Productions. Various marchers carry the famed 100-foot Key West Rainbow Flag on loan to New Hope Celebrates for the annual event.

Roads impacted by The EDSites.net Pride Parade include West Bridge Street closed to traffic from 11:00 a.m. to noon, West Ferry Street closed to traffic from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and South Main Street from West Bridge Street to Riverwoods Drive closed to traffic from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. West Mechanic Street closes to traffic until 6:00 p.m. for a street fair after the parade.

New Hope Celebrates is a nonprofit GLBTA tourism marketing organization of the retail, hospitality, professional and local community. The organization is hosted by the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce and endorsed by the New Hope Borough Council. As of Fall 2007, NHC has donated nearly $50,000 to such organizations as Fighting Aids Continuously Together (FACT: Bucks County), the New Hope Flood Relief Fund, the Human Rights Campaign and Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County's Rainbow Room. Sponsorship opportunities and grant applications are available through the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund.

Major sponsors of New Hope Celebrates Pride 2008 include Smirnoff (Presenting Sponsor), Southwest Airlines, Origlio Beverages (Coors Light), Comcast, FunMaps, Bucks County Conference & Visitors Bureau, Inn to the Woods Bed & Breakfast, The Nevermore Hotel, Rainbow Assurance, Triumph Brewing Company, The Wishing Well Guesthouse, EDSites.net, Karla's/Zoubi Restaurants, Baldi & Jenei P.C., Havana Bar & Grill, New Hope Shoes, Notations Inc., Procerus MedSpa and Penn Wealth Planning. A complete list of sponsors is available at www.NewHopeCelebrates.com. Full Story. [5/9/08]