One City One Pride: A Month of Art, Theater, Film and Activities

The city of West Hollywood’s One City One Pride offers an entire month of art, theater, films and activities, many of which are free, surrounding the annual gay pride festivities happening the weekend of June 9-11.

“The program is really eclectic, and I think it’s moving toward more of a history aspect as well,” says Michael Che, Cultural Coordinator for the city of West Hollywood.

While the LA Pride festivities–featuring the annual Dyke March June 9, the two-day LA Pride Festival June 10-11, and the Resist March on June 11–are produced by Christopher Street West (CSW), the city of West Hollywood works in conjunction with CSW to offer supporting activities throughout the month at various locations.

“We’re interested in honoring the local history and the local people,” says Che.

While most of the programming was set a year in advance, before the recent rise of anti-LGBT sentiment and uncertainty regarding the nation’s political leadership, Che says that they did add a series of sign-making workshops lead by artists, in an effort to give people more of a voice.

“We saw what a community building effort that was, leading up to and around the time of the Women’s March,” Che said. One session will take place before the Dyke March (see the web site for more dates/times). “We don’t describe what people should say,” says Che, “we just give them an opportunity to say it.”

Some highlights are listed below, but for a complete schedule of One City One Pride events and activities, CLICK HERE.
 

Event highlights:

June 3: The “Stuart Timmons LGBTQ History Tour” dazzled audiences in 2015 and 2016, and returns to celebrate the author/historian’s legacy and life’s work. The 90- to 120-minute tours include a brief shuttle ride followed by an accessible urban hike encountering over a dozen costumed characters for surprising fun and history along the way. Shuttles depart every 15 minutes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. from the West Hollywood City Council Chambers, 625. N. San Vicente. Go to: www.stuarttimmons.com/weho-history-tour

June 9: The annual Dyke March festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a protest sign-making workshop, followed by a march down Santa Monica Blvd. at 8 p.m. Speakers include: LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Patrisse Cullors and janaya khan (#blacklivesmatter), Sue Dunlap, Lynn Harris Ballen and Judy Sisneros, and the City Council. Sal Guarriello Veterans’ Memorial, 8447 Santa Monica Blvd. Admission is free. Go to: http://bit.ly/DykeMarchWeHo

June 10-11: Chromeo and Brandy headline the LA Pride Festival, open Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Visit www.lapride.org for a full line-up of entertainment and to purchase tickets ($20-$30). West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.

June 11: In place of the traditional parade, this year a Resist March begins at 8 a.m. at Hollywood and Highland and finishes near West Hollywood Park (where LA Pride was born in 1970). As stated by Christopher Street West, the event promoter, “Instead of a parade celebrating our past progress, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies will march in solidarity with and on the same day as the National Equality March for Unity and Pride in Washington DC.”8 a.m.-1 p.m. Go to: www.resistmarch.org

June 12 and June 14: “California Dreams” will explore the experiences of LGBTQ seniors through story and song as they made their own journeys west – literally, figuratively and symbolically toward liberation. 7 p.m. Renberg Theatre, The LA LGBT Center Village at Ed Gould’s Plaza , 1125 N. McCadden Pl., Los Angeles. Free admission. RSVP to (323) 860-5830 or by e-mail to: seniors@lalgbtcenter.org. www.facebook.com/artandaging

June 17: The 7^th annual “Celebrating All Life and Creation” Pow Wow is a Red Circle Project of AIDS Project LA, bringing a day of traditional Native American music, dance, crafts and food, along with HIV testing and prevention resources to Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. 10 a.m. Admission is free. www.facebook.com/redcircleproject

June 20: Celebration Theatre will present its annual Chuck Rowland Award for contributions to LGBTQ theatre to Patricia Loughrey, on June 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. Excerpts from three of her plays will be presented:
“Dear Harvey” weaves the words of Harvey Milk with interviews with his family, friends and colleagues into a portrait of hope and a vision of equality… “I am all of us.”
“The Daddy Machine” (music by Rayme Sciaroni, based on the book by Johnny Valentine). When two moms leave their kids home alone, mayhem ensues. Stonewall, the family dog, tries to stave off chaos as 52 dads emerge from a magical daddy machine.
“The Inner Circle” sees a community of friends coming together devastated by AIDS — will they draw together for comfort? Or fracture apart to avoid feeling the loss? Admission is free.

June 28: The City of West Hollywood through WeHo Arts partners with Outfest and Showtime Documentary Films to present“Whitney: Can I Be Me?,” a powerful film about musical icon Whitney Houston from acclaimed BAFTA Award winner Nick Broomfield (“Kurt & Courtney”). Using behind the scenes footage, candid interviews, and performance footage, the film explores all sides of Whitney, her life, and the impact her death had on those close to her and her fans. 7:30 p.m. City Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd. Free admission, but RSVPs are required. RSVP at www.outfest.org/weho-series

Jeanne Cordova

June 29: Screening of “Waving a Wand,” a short film from West Hollywood-based Traipsing Thru Films (see accompanying article), is paired with the world premiere documentary “Jeanne Cordova: Butches, Lies and Feminism,” about the accomplishments of the late activist and author. Cordova’s partner, Lynn Harris Ballen, will participate in a post screening Q&A with the director, Gregorio Davila. Free admission. 7:30 p.m. West Hollywood City Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.