Monday, July 20, 2009

Burlington Vermont Invites You to Pride Week

Join Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss & leaders of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to unfurl the Rainbow Flag, a symbol of gay pride, and kick off Burlington’s 27th Anniversary Pride Week!

WHEN: Wednesday, July 22, 4:30 pm
WHERE: Burlington City Hall, 149 Church Street

Celebrate Prideweek, the 40th anniversary of Stonewall, and this historic year of marriage equality in Vermont! To publicly demonstrate support for the LGBT community, the Mayor is hosting Burlington’s 3rd Annual Pride Flag Ceremony.


Along with Mayor Kiss, you’ll hear from Vermont Freedom to Marry's Beth Robinson, Pride Chair Greg Raney, and RU12? Executive Director Kara DeLeonardis.

Following this ceremony, the Rainbow Flag will hang at City Hall, facing Church Street until after this Saturday’s Pride Parade on Church Street (Noon) and Battery Park Festival (1-4pm).

“The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is a vital and vibrant part of the city of Burlington, and as Mayor of Burlington I am proud to express our city’s support for all members of our diverse community,” proclaims Mayor Kiss.

Pride is an annual celebration of the LGBT community and a commemoration of the birth of the LGBT movement for equal rights, known as Stonewall.

This year is the 40th anniversary of Stonewall, named after the gay bar in New York City that police raided, as often occurred. But this time the LGBT community fought back. This event is widely recognized across the country and world as the beginning of the ongoing struggle for LGBT civil rights.

This year’s Pride is also a celebration of Marriage Equality in Vermont. Vermont made history this spring in passing a Marriage Equality law without any mandate from the courts and did so in spite of the Governor’s veto. The Pride committee would love to make this year’s Pride the most memorable celebration yet, so please join us to celebrate the LGBT community and equal rights for all.

This event and all Pride events are open to the public. Please visit http://www.pridevt.com for more information.

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