New this year at Toledo Pride will be Friday night kickoff party KISS ‘N’ Drag and an extended Sunday Funday, both happening Downtown at Promenade Park.
KISS ‘N’ Drag will start at 9 p.m. Aug. 22, immediately following the Nite Glo 5K at the University of Toledo.
92.5 KISS FM hosted KISS ‘N Drag last year at a local bar, but so many people came some had to be turned away, said organizer Phillipe Taylor of “The Morning Rush.” This year, the station partnered with Toledo Pride to host the event at Promenade Park until 1 a.m. The event will feature music by DJ 3 PM and drag performances, including one by Demetrius Nicodemus of “The Morning Rush.” Admission is $8, or $5 with a canned food item with proceeds donated to Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank. Attendees must be 18 or older.
On Aug. 23, the Toledo Pride parade starts Downtown at noon on Washington Street and ends at Promenade Park, where entertainment will start around 12:45 p.m. and last until midnight. The parade gets bigger each year, said parade coordinator Torie Thorne, and will include motorcyclists, mopeds, floats, mascots including Muddy the Mud Hen and more.
New performers this year include Bird’s Eye View Circus Space and TTown Tassels burlesque show. The main drag show will kick off around 10 p.m. Arctic Clam will play around 8 p.m. followed by Eryn Woods, Rye Rye and Pastele with drag performances between, said Event Director Lexi Staples. Cost is $5 for adults before 7 p.m., $7 after 7 p.m., or $20 for a three-day pass plus T-shirt. Children younger than 18 are free.
“Rye Rye did a music video with M.I.A. and is really well-known. Pastele just came off VH1’s “Make A Band Famous.” And Eryn Woods is this poppunker with a mohawk dyed bright ridiculous colors,” Staples said.
“We also want to really support local and make sure we have enough time in the day to get a lot of Toledo artists on stage as well. Everyone is a headliner to me.”
A CD of the music from past five years of performers will be sold for $7 with proceedings benefiting Pride Center 419, Toledo’s LGBTQ community center located at the Collingwood Arts Center, Staples said.
Sunday Funday has also expanded and will feature a full slate of food, drinks and entertainment from 3-10 p.m. Aug. 24 at Promenade Park following the free family-friendly activities planned for noon to 3 p.m. Cost is $3 for adults and free for children younger than 18. Organizers said the event grows each year and this will be their biggest and best yet.
“Hopefully everyone comes from the run to KISS ‘N’ Drag,” Thorne said. “It will be a great kickoff to the Saturday event and Sunday will be a good follow-up for the whole weekend. I’m really excited.”
