Orange County Pride :: Coming Together 'As One'

Orange County Pride Week kicks off on Sunday, June 18 with nightly Pride events across Orange County, all leading up to the Pride Parade in Santa Ana on Saturday, June 24.

The parade, with its pageantry and spectacle, is followed by the Pride Festival featuring vendors, dance stages, a family zone and an entertainment lineup we have all come to look forward to over the years.

The theme for Orange County Pride is "As One" and is a rally cry, of sorts, for the LGBTQ community to come together in unity. With the state of the world being in such discourse, and following the tragedy of last year's Pulse Nightclub shootings, the theme is a timely one. It also signifies the dichotomy of how being out and proud in Orange County can be a struggle at times, yet it's a place where the community can stand as one.

The Rage Monthly spoke with Orange County Pride's Director of Marketing Andy Conner, Director of Programming Jeremy Huntington and Pride Festival headliner Dev to get the lowdown on what it takes to put an event like this on and what revelers can expect at Orange County Pride.

The streets of Downtown Santa Ana will become the center of the action. The cityscape will be transformed from its atypical types of hustle and bustle to one of celebration and diversity. To put on a celebration of this magnitude "takes a village" according to Conner. "We start planning for the next year's Pride as soon as the last Pride is over," he explained. "The Board of Directors works year-round fundraising and fostering relationships to make O.C. Pride as great as possible."

As for the theme of "As One," Conner said it was chosen to "Reflect the LGBTQ community's needs, hopes and reality." Huntington followed and went on to further explain why it was chosen. "With the current situations going on in the world, we felt our community needed to hear the strength of what Pride is. Being an organization and event that heavily relies on the help and dedication of the entire community at large, 'As One' kept coming up during our theme meet- ing. We felt in our hearts it was the core message of Pride; that our community, as one, will survive."

O.C. Pride's entertainment lineup consists of a few famous "RuPaul's Drag
Race" alumni and one Billboard chart-topper. First up at 7 p.m. is the season six "Drag Race" finalist Adore Delano, who introduced the term "hog body" to the lexicon of the populace at large. She also competed as Danny Noriega on "American Idol" in 2008 and will be bringing her vocal chops to the Yost Stage. Delano, who famously volunteered to remove herself from the competition of "RuPaul's All-Stars" Season Two, first honed her drag skills in 2011 after seeing fellow alumna Raven perform at Micky's in West Hollywood. After winning a drag competition there, she began performing around Southern California as Adore Delano, choosing her surname because it means, "of the night" in Old French.

Following her initial appearance on the popular reality competition show, Delano released the debut album "Till Death Do Us Party," which debuted at number three on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Charts. Another fun fact: She also charted at number 59 on the Billboard 200! That means she's the highest-charting "Drag Race" persona, rising above Mama Ru!

Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova, a.k.a. Katya of the seventh season of the venerable drag competition, as well as coming in as a finalist in "RuPaul's All-Stars 2," will make her Orange County Pride appearance at 7:30 p.m. The comedy queen, born Brian McCook, hosts the World of Wonder You Tube channel web series "UNHhhh" with fellow "Drag Race" contestant Trixie Mattel.

The evening's final performer, Dev, a singer, songwriter, rapper, model and radio show host, will be performing at 8 p.m. and she'll be feelin' so fly... "Like a G6." That's the name of the song that Far East Movement sampled from her song "Bass Down Low," which went all the way to number one. When she released the album "The Night the Sun Came Up" in 2012, she scored her most successful solo single "In the Dark." She followed that up with a two-part EP "Bittersweet" in July 2014 and last year released the single "#1" with "Nef the Pharaoh."

Dev is definitely excited to be a participant for Pride. As she said about the event, "Being able to bring a fun, live performance experience to a show that celebrates freedom and love is the coolest thing." Her desire for "O.C. to shake their booties!" is made all that much sweeter by performing for her gay fan base, as she explained. "It makes me feel strong, powerful, accepted and celebrated. Hopefully that's reciprocated!"

She cited that "My family... My music," makes her extremely proud, but she also sees the need for the theme of "As One" to stretch beyond the one-day event. "I think as a community we've come so far, still have plenty to go, but every moving piece helps carry us to the future. I'm optimistic and glad I can be a voice for the next generation, for my little sisters and daughter," she said. "I was raised to never look at gender, nationality or religion when it came to love and treating people with respect. If I can do my part and pass that message on, then I'm helping in paving that path!"

"Seeing the growth of Pride celebrations, marriage equality, gender neutral bathrooms, I know they're minuscule in the grand scheme, but they're movement," Dev continued. "Only time will tell, but I feel like we are heading in the right direction. The more people continue to speak up, show out and have respect for each other as human beings, the sooner we'll be at the finish line."

This opinion was echoed by Andy Conner, in that we as a community, should continue to "Get out, stand up, speak up, and be seen." Attending Pride can be a way to join in on the unity, he explained. "Pride is a celebration dedicated to no longer having to live in the shadows and living our truth. By coming together as one, we remind each other that we are a community," Conner stated. "And no LGBTQ person is really alone. Often times LGBTQ people feel isolated, because they may be the only queer person in their immediate family or circle of friends. Pride shows they are not alone, that there is a greater LGBTQ family waiting for them."

That message of coming together is what Jeremy Huntington hopes will be the lasting sentiment that carries on throughout the year. "Despite what they may see on television and in the newspapers, or hear about what's happening across the world to our own community members, that there is hope, there is love and there is light at the end of the tunnel," Huntington replied. "To know there is a family out there waiting with open arms to welcome you, as you, for you and will celebrate you. Everything about who you are is perfect and is the way it's meant to be. Embrace it. Love it. Live it. Together we will survive, as one."

OFFICIAL PRIDE WEEK EVENTS

Roller Rendezvous
SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Holiday Skate Center, 175 North Wayfield Street, City of Orange facebook.com/ events/656716877862119

Strap on those roller skates at this free event featuring "The Divas on Wheels Drag Review." Food and skate rentals provided by Mr. Gay Pride Orange County, Manny Muro. Limited space, all guests must RSVP to ensure entrance.

O.C. Pride's Pajammy Jam Bingo Fundraiser
TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
JT Schmid's Restaurant & Brewery
2610 E. Katella Ave, Anaheim
jtschmidsrestaurants.com

Ms. Alessandra Divine and Kunda
Fayza-Couture are your hostesses with the mostest and performers for this evening of drinks and prizes.

To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 8 p.m.
The Frida Cinema
305 E. 4th Street, Santa Ana
thefridacinema.org

The hilarious drag queen comedy, starring Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo, back on the big screen depicting the adventures of Vida Boheme, Noxeema Jackson and Chi-Chi Rodriguez traveling cross country.

The Prom Standing Proud
THURSDAY, JUNE 22 , 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Bleu Restaurant & Dancing
14160 Beach Boulevard, Westminster
bleuxo.com

Relive those days of high school, with a twist, by attending the prom you
really wanted to have. This prom is also a masquerade ball!

Tiki Kiki
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The Tin Lizzie Saloon
752 St. Clair Street, Costa Mesa.
tinlizziesaloon.com

Free event with signature cocktails, beer and wine in a Victorian-style bar.

For more information on all things Orange County Pride, go to prideoc.com