1st Valley Gay Pride Festival Planned

The San Fernando Valley’s first gay pride festival will be held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at Woodley Park in Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area, organizers say.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said festival organizer Paul Waters, who started the Simi Valley gay pride festival three years ago. “So much of the gay community lives in the San Fernando Valley, and this event will create community awareness.”

Billed as a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender awareness festival, the event will feature live entertainment on two stages, and booths featuring community groups and vendors.

But unlike the West Hollywood Gay Pride Festival, which this year celebrated its 30th anniversary, the Valley event will not include a parade, said Waters.

He expects as many as 20,000 people to attend the two-day Valley event.

“Ma and Pa Kettle can come to this festival,” Waters said. “This is so that the community at large becomes aware that gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders are their neighbors, friends, relatives and co-workers.”

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 30 and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 1.

Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children.

For more information or to volunteer, call (818) 508-0472 or visit www.lavalleypride.org.