Last Call: Final Colorado Pride celebration in Boulder September 16

Boulder’s 9th annual Pride celebration will be held Sunday, Sept. 16 on the Pearl Street Mall, to cap off a weekend of LGBT community events.

A kickoff party starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 14 leads to a midnight parade by Prop Gay, a group that turns one Boulder bar into a “gay bar” for one night each month. Saturday’s Cruiser Ride is Pride-themed, and the weekend culminates with the main festival on Pearl Street on Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“We hope there’s going to be a flow of people, from one to two thousand,” said Boulder Pride Coordinator Chelsea O’Neil. “We’ve got lots of local vendors, businesses, nonprofits, a beer garden with beer from Avery and Barefoot wine,” she said.

The B-52s cover band Hey Lady will headline the festival’s main entertainment stage.

Boulder’s Pride takes place when more than 30,000 full and part-time University of Colorado students have returned for their fall semester, and coincides with another festival – Boulder Green Streets – a pro-cycling event that features its own workshops and vendors.

“We hope people [out for Green Streets] will shuffle over,” O’Neil said.

Boulder doesn’t have the gay population that Denver has, but it’s known for its liberal politics and support for issues like LGBT rights.

“I think one of the main goals is not only to have a great event for LGBT people but to raise awareness and visibility,” O’Neil said. “It’s for folks who identify as LGBTQ, and those who want to come out and support.” ]

Boulder Pride is still looking for volunteers to help run several of the Sunday events. Email volunteer@outboulder.org to find out how. Visit http://outboulder.org for more information.