2012 Las Cruces Pride Festival

LAS CRUCES, NM – The Southern New Mexico Pride Committee is making final preparations for this year’s Pride week, highlighted by its annual Pride Festival on June 16, 2012 from 10am – 3pm at Pioneer Women’s Park. A full slate of events has been planned around this year’s theme: Unity Through Diversity. Below is the finalized schedule of events.

Drag Bingo
Friday, June 15, 2012
Sponsored by Southern New Mexico Pride at the Alameda House, 526 S. Alameda Blvd. Featuring Mr. & Ms. Southern New Mexico Pride and entertainment by special guests from Albuquerque: Mr. New Mexico Pride, Rocco Steele; Ms. New Mexico Pride, Shalia Cavalli and Miss New Mexico Pride, Shannon Haynes. General admission is $15. Tickets are currently available at Spirit Winds Coffee House.

Pride Festival
Saturday, June 16, 2012
The Pride Festival itself will take place from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, June 16th at Pioneer Women’s Park, 500 W. Las Cruces Avenue. The day’s schedule is as follows:
9:50am - Parade line-up at Southeast corner of park.
10am - Walking parade through downtown mall, led by Grand Marshall Sharna Horn, Director of the Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center.
 Pride Art Show opens in Women’s Building
10:40am - Pride Awards given to those who have made a significant contribution to the betterment of the GLBTQ community in Southern New Mexico, through their volunteerism, activism and/or community involvement. This year’s Awardees are: Singing Out LGBTQ Choir, Lisa Willman and Eric Tarin.
11am - Pet Blessing
11am - Concert Performance by Singing Out LGBTQ Choir in the Park Gazebo
12:30pm - Judging of the Queer Bake Off items in the Women’s Building
1pm - Concert performance by Randy Granger in the Park Gazebo
 Live auction of Queer Bake Off recipes and items in the Women’s Building
2pm - Concert performance by Belle in the Park Gazebo
 Announcement of Pride Art Show winners in Women’s Building
3pm –  Events ends

Under 21 Dance Party
Saturday, June 16, 2012
After-festival party featuring DJ Truman at the Hotel Encanto, presented in partnership with Families and Youth Incorporated. Doors open at 8pm with DJ music until Midnight. Snacks, non-alcoholic drinks and prizes. Tickets are $5 at the door. 21 and under only.

Las Cruces Pride Party
Saturday, June 16, 2012
After-festival party featuring DJ Sandra Ware at the Hotel Encanto, sponsored by Southern New Mexico Pride and Triple Threat Productions. Doors open at 9pm with DJ music until close. Presale tickets are $8. Night of show tickets are $10 at the door. 21 and older only.

All Ages Pool Party
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Southern New Mexico Pride in partnership with the New Mexico GLBTQ Centers present the popular all-ages pool party at Desert Hills Pool, 5800 La Reina Rd, from 6:30pm to 9pm. Tickets are $5, kids under 12 get in FREE. Music and snacks provided. Picnic dinners allowed.

Southern New Mexico Pride Festival 2012 is sponsored in part by Families and Youth Incorporated, New Mexico Centers, KRWG Radio, PFLAG Las Cruces, The Doña Ana Arts Council, Las Cruces Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Pride Guide New Mexico, Lisa Willman and an Anonymous Soldier. For more information, visit www.SouthernNMPride.org.