Holland PRIDE 2018 – June 23
Live entertainment, food vendors, booths staffed by area businesses and organizations, a silent auction, and LGBTQ and allies fellowship will all be present when Out On The Lakeshore presents its 2018 Holland PRIDE Festival on Saturday, June 23!
This year’s festival will return to Centennial Park in downtown Holland, on River Avenue between 10th and 11th streets, from noon-5 p.m. and then head indoors at the Park Theater from 7-11 p.m. for more fun and entertainment.
On center stage for the afternoon portion of the annual PRIDE festival will be Holland’s own Persisterhood Choir from 12:15-12:45 p.m., kid-favorite Maciek the Magician from 1-2 p.m. and the Groove Party band from 2:15-5 p.m. Groove Party, which labels itself as “Michigan’s favorite party band,” and plays a variety of music for all ages from classic rock to funk, jazz, Motown and today’s hits. Groove Party has played for such organizations as GM, Ford, Kellogg’s, the Michigan Republican and Democratic parties, and Michigan governors’ celebrations.
While the music and magic is on stage, more than 30 Holland area businesses and organizations will hand out free gifts and offer information at their booths. Food and refreshments will be available, a caricature artist and face painter will be on site, and a Silent Auction will allow people to bid on a variety of items donated by area businesses in support of Out On The Lakeshore.
“We’ve tried hard to make the afternoon PRIDE festival very family friendly,” noted Jen Adams, an Out On The Lakeshore board member. ”It should be a great event for everyone from children to grandparents.”
At night, PRIDE will head across River Avenue to the Park Theater, where from 7-8 p.m. Grand Rapids-based Funny Girl, an inclusive collective of comedians, writers, and musicians, will perform. Then, from 8:30-10 p.m. Exit Left Theater, founded and led by Holland’s Jamie Colburn, will present the Illuminaughty Burlesque Show, which will feature drag, dance and live music. There will be dancing to the tunes of Park Theater’s DJ from 10-11 p.m. (Per Park Theater policy, PRIDE’s evening programs are for ages 17 and up unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.)
Thanks to the support of businesses and local organizations, all of the entertainment and gatherings that are PRIDE 2018 are free to the public. All proceeds from the festival will go toward Out On The Lakeshore’s programming and events held at its now one-year-old Community Center at 451 Columbia Ave. in Holland. Donations to Out On The Lakeshore are welcome and PRIDE 2018 T-Shirts will be sold.
