Banking on Pride

Pride's almost here.

The 41st annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade and celebration is this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26.

And with all the parties and of course, the parade, there will be one group receiving some extra attention.

"The big focus is on LGBT youth this year," said Pride interim Executive Director Brendan Behan. "The biggest message is how we as a community can do more to help LGBT youth, to be aware of the impact of bullying, and to create awareness in our communities about the kinds of resources we need to provide LGBT youth."

He noted that this year's national organizational grand marshal is the Trevor Project, which operates a 24/7 crisis intervention line and has a call center in the Castro. Pride officials have asked Academy Award-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, a Trevor board member, and others to speak about anti-LGBT bullying.

This year's festivities begin Saturday with the festival in Civic Center, from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, the celebration in Civic Center runs from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The parade kicks off at 10:30 a.m. at Market and Beale streets and ends at Market and Eighth streets.

Besides Black, other celebrities expected this year include celebrity grand marshals Olympia Dukakis and transgender activist Chaz Bono, the child of gay icon Cher and the late Sonny Bono. [See the Bay Area Reporter's Pride section for profiles on the local grand marshals.]

In some ways, the LGBT community is fortunate to be celebrating Pride this year. The LGBT Pride Celebration Committee has had a tough year, both in terms of finances and staff and board turnover. Among other problems, the city controller's office reported in December that the nonprofit was $225,000 in debt.

Behan said last week that the deficit was down to $116,000.

The debt doesn't appear to have dampened this weekend's festivities, though. Behan said this year's celebration would include the same number of venues as last year. Pride will have more than 20 community stages and venues.

The Pride Committee is also making good on its payments to beverage partners, some of whom received only partial payments last year. Pride still owes about $38,000 to community partners.

Pride officials announced Tuesday, June 21 that the remaining payments would be distributed "in the coming days." With the payments, Pride will have paid a total of approximately $167,000 in grants to Bay Area-based nonprofits that participated in the 2010 program.

And with all the entertaining distractions, money troubles could be the last thing on people's minds this weekend.

Music and more

As always, there will be lots of music this year.

The international stage, located at Van Ness and Grove, takes place Saturday from 12 to 6 p.m. The stage is presented by Bench and Bar and Club 21.

Valentino Carrillo, marketing director for Bench and Bar and Club 21, said entertainment will include a mix of Latin music, hip-hop, and go-go dancers.

He said he's excited about "meeting new people and enjoying the festivities."

From 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, the Castro Country Club's Sober Stage 2011: I Remember Pride will offer space with dancing and other entertainment, including a drag show. The stage will be located at Hyde and Fulton. Visit http://www.castrocountryclub.org for more information.

Also Sunday, one of the bands performing on the main stage will be Sister Crayon. Drummer Nicholas Suhr, 22, is the son of San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr.

Suhr said this will be his first time at a San Francisco Pride celebration.

"I envision everybody being happy. ... I think it's going to be awesome," he said. Suhr said he's straight, but he supports "total equality."

He said band members don't like to link themselves to just one genre, and he offered descriptions of their music that included both "very dreamy" and "very in-your-face." The band goes on at 6 p.m.

Actress and comedienne Sandra Bernhard and musical acts such as Jessica 6 will be among the other headline entertainers.

Booths

Along with other Pride happenings, there will be plenty of booths providing information on local services and commercial vendors. Politics will also be on display, with the Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project's booth.

Project Founder Glen Callender said in an email they would be one of the "weirdest" things at Pride. They'll also be timely, as San Francisco residents will have a chance to vote on a circumcision ban in November.

Admission to Pride is free, although there's a suggested $5 donation at the festival gates.

Pink Saturday

The unofficial Pink Saturday street party takes place June 25, following the Dyke March. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are organizing it and there are some changes this year.

No alcoholic drinks will be allowed in the event area. People attending this year won't be permitted to bring alcohol outside the neighborhood's bars, and any alcohol that attendees try to bring in will be confiscated, according to Sister Risque, Pink Saturday committee chair.

Safety concerns around the evening have been an issue, especially after last year, when Stephen Powell, 19, was shot to death around the time the street party ended. San Francisco Police spokesman Lieutenant Troy Dangerfield said Tuesday that the investigation into Powell's death remains active.

Officers at Mission Station are satisfied with the changes.

"I'm really on board with the Sisters' approach, and their continued interaction with the business owners, the residents, and the police department to provide a safe environment for a great celebration," said Sergeant Chuck Limbert, LGBT liaison for Mission Station.

He said private security officers at the gates, which open at 6 p.m., would check people at random with electronic wands for metal objects, guns, and weapons. A $7 donation is suggested.

For more information, visit www.sfpride.org.