Glendale to host pride festival

This May, for the first time, a pride festival celebrating LGBTQ awareness and acceptance will take place in Glendale.

Grey James, founder of Glendale Pride, said other communities have pride festivals, so why shouldn’t Glendale?

“Silver Lake, West Hollywood … Why do I have to export my gay? Why can’t I be gay where I live?” James said in a statement.

James began working with Gary Freeman and Nick Macierz, with Ace/121 gallery and Roslin Art Gallery, respectively, and with Arno Yeretzian at Abril Books.

Soon, Gay-Straight Alliance chapters in the Glendale Unified School District joined the effort, James said.

“The dots started connecting quickly. People are showing up. Like everyone’s been waiting for this moment. I look at the group that is working on this, and I am so amazed and grateful. It’s very satisfying to witness this momentum and all the individuals driving it so kindly,” James said.

The pride event is the grass-roots effort of several Glendale-based organizations and volunteers, including GlendaleOUT, Gay and Lesbian Armenian Society, Equality Armenia, the Blunt Post and with media sponsorship by Revry.

The festival, slated to take place from 3 to 9 p.m. May 30 in Central Park, 216 S. Brand Blvd., will be a free, family-friendly event, and everyone is welcome. Music, food and entertainment will also be a part of the festival.

For more information about the upcoming event, visit GlendalePride.org.