ricco67 Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned on here previous to this week considering the demographics. I attended the parade and was amazed on how huge it was compared to years past (i missed the previous 5 years' events) and that it even got coverage on Q Television.From what was mentioned on a few of the media sources is that this was the largest so far (est. 250k in attendence), it proved to be a major boon to local area businesses that decided to remain open during the festival. I witnessed this first hand after the parade as people were piling into Bambalinos and other establishments had lines out the doors. Any other reports from the parade and the aftermath for businesses?Ricco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovehouse Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 I walked from Taft to Commonwealth (by the McDonalds) there were just throngs of people all over the place! If they were lined up like they were from the areas I walked, there were easily 200+ thousand revellers at the parade! As I walked past Mary's and Chances, I found out why the parade was so sporadic from Montrose on down the route.... all the floats were stopping for the judges at Yoakum and Westheimer, so the floats would stop there, do a routine, number, etc... then move on. The gaps in the floats were huge once they passed the judges booth. The police presence was rather large and I only noticed a group of four mounted officers hastily making their way down Westheimer near Felix Mexican Restaurant, I can only assume they were on their way to a disturbance, otherwise I didn't notice any over zealous parade goers or incidents.I also ran in to the Roller Derby girls who have previously posted on here looking for a place to skate... well, according to the girls, they are still looking and I am still wishing them the best of luck. Hope to see them rolling soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 It was good parade this year. The people coming to this thing keeps growing and growing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 Well I was in the parade on the Grand Marshal float, the Roman one with statues and gladiator guys. Let me tell you the crowd was enormous especially near the corner of Westheimer and Montrose. I had the best time. I have heard at least 200k were there. If you think about it, that is the population of Beaumont at the corner of Montrose and Westheimer.I have watched my share of parades and let me tell you it is WAY more fun to be in them. Of course the clubs were packed after the parade. Rich's felt like the good ole days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 Was this pride and effort to make Rich's really popular again? I mean the pre-party, after parade party, and the post party all were there. Hope it works out. Rich's is really a great bar and club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 I don't know if was intended but I think it did some good. Rich's hs always been the traditional post parade place until last year when it was at Club Go.The pride committee chose to have it at Rich's following tradition. The problem with Rich's is that it is not cool right now. The cool place is South Beach even though I would consider it an inferior dance space. Rich's will return in time. The place has been renovated and now has a sound system that is the best in Texas in terms of power. It was imported from Europe. There are only two in the country, one in Houston and one in New York.I am very vocal in my support of Rich's and make it a point to go there as much as possible to support it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 I saw the Gay Pride Parade coverage in another city, and it was really amazing to see so many people lining the streets. I've been to the Gay Pride/Halloween parade in Greenwich Village. That was a sight to behold.One of the TV reports I saw this year was kind of interesting. It interviewed gay couples who don't like the parade because it reinforces so many stereotypes. These people were saying that they work so hard all year to convince straight people that gay people are "just like them" -- not a bunch of hedonistic cavorting sex-crazed freaks. Then several thousands people wearing nipple clamps and not much else frolic through the neighborhood. They said that such displays were doing more to hurt gay acceptance than to help it. I found it to be an interesting perspective, even though I'm not sure I fully agree. After all, I bet half the people in the audience at these parades are straight. I don't think they're there to see a freak show. I think they're there to have fun like everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 And we thought conservatives christians had a lock on party pooping.Who'd a thunk it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Also, the Houston Pride Parade has three christian groups that march within it.Bering Memorial MethodistResurectionUnitarianThere may be some more now. I didn't the whole parade this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 I saw the Gay Pride Parade coverage in another city, and it was really amazing to see so many people lining the streets. I've been to the Gay Pride/Halloween parade in Greenwich Village. That was a sight to behold.One of the TV reports I saw this year was kind of interesting. It interviewed gay couples who don't like the parade because it reinforces so many stereotypes. These people were saying that they work so hard all year to convince straight people that gay people are "just like them" -- not a bunch of hedonistic cavorting sex-crazed freaks. Then several thousands people wearing nipple clamps and not much else frolic through the neighborhood. They said that such displays were doing more to hurt gay acceptance than to help it. I found it to be an interesting perspective, even though I'm not sure I fully agree. After all, I bet half the people in the audience at these parades are straight. I don't think they're there to see a freak show. I think they're there to have fun like everyone else.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Perhaps these couples could form a Krewe Of The Very Very Dignified and march in Brooks Brothers suits. And the gay men could wear khakis and Polo shirts.It is, after all, a parade. What's the point of a parade without a bit of color?So far as reenforcing stereotypes, I try to put things like Spring Break and "Girls Gone Wild" videos into perspective vis-a-vis heterosexuals. I trust that others make the same allowances for festive gay-themed events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 This is a picture of our group prior to the start of the parade. We were the grand marshals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Is that Tony DeAnDa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Tony Deanda?I am the first row fourth from the right in the orange cape. I had an awesome time this year in the parade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineda Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Boy, and I thought the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders outfits were skimpy, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Yes, they were quite short Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Hmm. Looks like you have to be in pretty good shape to be a grand marshal! If it were me, the crowds would be throwing their clothes on the float, screaming "Cover up! Cover up!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 No we were the grand marshal because of the fund raising we do. Check out our website, I am the webmaster.Bayou City Boys ClubThe guys that are in shape were gladiators, the others wore togas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 You look very becoming in orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncertaintraveler Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Until the day before the parade, I didn't even know there was going to be one. The only reference I saw of a festival of sorts was a short blip on the tv screen inside the elevator on the way to my office---and all it said was that there was some singer performing at the corner of Yoakum and Westheimer (or was it Montrose?) and mentioned a $10 entrance fee. I would have liked to have seen the parade, but I certainly didn't see anything anywhere suggesting that such a parade was planned. As a new resident to Houston, I figured people here didn't put on the same show that went on in Atlanta....my last hometown. Oh well...I'll have to calendar in the date for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Until the day before the parade, I didn't even know there was going to be one. The only reference I saw of a festival of sorts was a short blip on the tv screen inside the elevator on the way to my office---and all it said was that there was some singer performing at the corner of Yoakum and Westheimer (or was it Montrose?) and mentioned a $10 entrance fee. I would have liked to have seen the parade, but I certainly didn't see anything anywhere suggesting that such a parade was planned. As a new resident to Houston, I figured people here didn't put on the same show that went on in Atlanta....my last hometown. Oh well...I'll have to calendar in the date for next year.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>The singer was Sophie B. Hawkins. ("Damn! I Wish you were my lover...")Seems to me that local media coverage was lacking. The estimate of the crowd was 250,000 people. The parade is one of the cooler events in Houston, IMHO. Does the International Festival get that sort of one-day turnout? Surely it gets more coverage.(I don't know - just asking)The Chronicle opted to run a prominent story about crystal meth and its relation to gay people only a few days prior to the festival. Am I alone in thinking the timing was suspicious? And that the reference was unflattering? And coverage of the Pride Parade was perfunctury?Perhaps you think I'm being just a big ol' pain in the butt. (No jokes, please). I think that it's to Houston's credit that we have a healthy relationship with gay people. It's to our credit that we're a big enough city to contain people of all stripes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 It is nice to see a parade that draws such a huge crowd and no one gets hurt, no cars get overturned, etc. I once inadvertently got caught in the "Dikes on Bikes" parade in SF. Interesting.We sure have come a long way as a society. Can you imagine a similar parade in Houston in 1950? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 The Chronicle opted to run a prominent story about crystal meth and its relation to gay people only a few days prior to the festival.You must have missed last week's feature on the floats, route, etc. My wife's friend's picture was in the paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovehouse Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 ... mentioned a $10 entrance fee...<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Th $10 fee was for entrance into the 'festival' with live entertainment, etc... the parade itself was and has been free!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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