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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Second Bloomington Pride Summerfest to take place this Saturday

Representatives of Bloomington Pride are encouraging everyone to join them at the second annual Summerfest this Saturday.

“We’ve just had such a big, thrilling year in terms of marriage victories so that’s something that we’re really happy to celebrate,” said Abby Perfetti, one of the event’s organizers.

The celebration will kick-off with a party at Cardinal Spirits at noon where the first 50 guests will receive a free drink. Children are welcome to the party, and free rainbow flags will also be distributed.

At 1:30 p.m. a parade will make its way down the B-Line trail. The march will feature Quarryland Men’s Chorus and the Jefferson Street Parade Band. Anyone who wants to rollerblade, walk, dance or bike along is encouraged to join in the one-mile walk.

The theme of this year’s festival is birds.

“I think it just seemed freeing,” Perfetti said. “We’ve got all these cool bird costumes and wings so we encourage people to dress up any way they want.”

Around 70 volunteers are working to run the festival which around 2,000 people are expected to attend.

The festival itself starts at 2 p.m. on Fourth Street.

There will be a dance party, a drag show, a drag race, a fire show and aerial dancing workshops.

Musical guests include The Anointed, a drag gospel group, and Tunde Olaniran.

“Something that’s really important to Bloomington Pride is educating and encouraging activism and breaking down barriers,” Perfetti said when talking about Olaniran, a black singer. “We want to encourage minorities to get involved and we want them to feel comfortable so I think he’s going to bring a really cool perspective to pride and give a performance that people will really enjoy.”

Though admission to the festival is free, donations to Bloomington Pride will be welcomed at all five festival entrances.

Perfetti stressed that the event is open to children as well as people who do not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.

Food trucks will be present and alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase.

Along with educational workshops on topics such as activism and body positivity, there will be rainbow jewelry making stations, educational booths and a pet center.

“A lot of people from the queer community didn’t know that they would be able to have kids,” Perfetti said. “So pets have become a really important part of our community.”

For a full schedule, people can visit http://www.bloomingtonpride.org/schedule.html.

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