Shenandoah Valley Friends
Reprinted from: 
Friday, May 8, 1998
Pride Bug Hits Shenandoah
"Pride in the Valley Weekend" - An inaugural weekend of festivities planned
by Robin Schacht
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The Shenandoah Valley Gay and Lesbian Association (SVGLA) is the sponsor for the valley's first ever commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising which began the modern era's equal rights movement. |
Harrisonburg, VA - The Shenandoah Valley in Virginia is catching the Gay pride bug this year, becoming the site of an inaugural weekend of festivities sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley Gay and Lesbian Association.
The SVGLA hosts a weekend of rural fun and festivities with its "Pride in the Valley Weekend" on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17. All are welcome to attend this first pride event for the association, which has over 135 members.
The "Rainbow Connection Picnic" takes place from noon until 3 p.m. on May 16 at the at the James Madison University Farm, located on Port Republic Road (exit 245 off Interstate 81), in Port Republic, Virginia, 9.7 miles east of Harrisonburg. Driving time from DC is approximately 3 hours.
Attendees are asked to bring something to grill and a dish to share. SVGLA provides grills, charcoal, drinks, and eating utensils. D.C.'s Different Drummers will perform portions of its summer program at the picnic, which also features volleyball, badminton, and other games. Organizers said that children are particularly welcome to attend this event.
The 16-piece band D.C. Swing, playing music from the '40s and '50s, provides the sounds for Saturday evening's event, "The Gangster's Ball," from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Temple Beth El in Harrisonburg. A disc jockey will also be on hand for those preferring more contemporary tunes. Admission to the dance is $7 for SVGLA members and $10 for non-members. Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are provided.
Partygoers will have a chance to decompress Sunday with "The Morning After," from 10 a.m. to noon at the Artful Dodger Coffeehouse Café in Harrisonburg. SVGLA provides free muffins, bagels and breads; coffee and drinks may be purchased from the Dodger. Those with energy to spare may be interested in attending the Harrisonburg Spring Parade, which begins that afternoon at 3 p.m.
For more information about SVGLA and the Pride weekend, call (540) 574-INFO or e-mail SVGLA@aol.com.
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