BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Although the longstanding Boise Pride Festival will be held in September again this year, there will still be events to mark Pride Month in June.
On June 13, the Boise Pride organization and the Boise Gay Men’s Chorus and the affiliated Boise Women’s Chorus will host a “Taproom Takeover” at Payette Brewery, starting at 6 p.m. The event is designed to “highlight positive community LGBTQ awareness,” according to Donald Williamson, executive director of Boise Pride.
The event is open to all ages.
The Boise Gay Men’s Chorus often focuses on keeping its events family friendly, according to Doug Rinard, the group’s treasurer.
“It bridges that gap,” he said.
Holding the pride event at a brewery also puts it in a space not normally associated with the gay community, he said, which can potentially open it up to a broader audience.
“We feel like maybe we can educate people who might not normally feel comfortable,” he said.
Live performances by the chorus will begin at 7 p.m., and there will be a raffle for prizes such as tickets to the Lumineers concert and VIP passes to the hospitality tent for the pride festival.
“Those are very popular,” Rinard said of the VIP passes. “People who win it get treated like royalty.”
Tickets will be $5 for one or five tickets for $20.
Payette Brewery will also donate 50% of beer sales that night to the choruses.
On June 25, the Boise gay men’s and women’s choruses will perform a free Broadway in the Park concert at Julia Davis Park. The Pride Month concert will be free and open to all ages.
The performance will also feature Common Ground Chorus, a local diversity group.
This is the second performance that’s been funded through a grant from the Boise City Department of Arts and History, Rinard said.
This year’s concert will center around show tunes, he said, but sometimes with a unique spin.
“It’ll be fun, upbeat and family friendly,” he said.
The event will also feature a raffle drawing.
Both events are designed with the same intention as the pride festival, according to Williamson. This year’s festival will take place Sept. 9-11. The Treasure Valley event has been around since 1989 and has grown significantly in the more than 30 years in existence, Williamson said.
“We’re striving to promote unity and celebrate the diversity of the Boise community,” he said. “... It’s important to let members of the LGBTQ community know that they’re seen, that they’re heard and that they’re not alone.”
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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