The 2011 Atlanta Pride festival drew thousands to Atlanta's Piedmont Oct. 8 - 9 celebrating Pride and GA Voice photographers were on the scene. Community, nightlife, and entertainment events provided highlights for the three-day Pride festival.
Editor's note: Additional galleries are forthcoming. Check back to see photos from the Starlight Cabaret, the Atlanta Pride parade and more.
He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish household in New York’s lower east side, the fourth generation to live there. He was discovered by a talent agent while singing at his brother’s Bar Mitzvah and he has been entertaining the world ever since. On Sunday, Oct. 9, Sir Ari Gold headlines Atlanta’s Pride festival. We caught up with Gold and spoke with him about his faith, his family and his amazing career.
Shannon Hames: I read your bio and found it fascinating that you grew up as a 4th generation Orthodox Jewish kid from the lower east side. What was that like?
Sir Ari Gold: I don’t consider myself Orthodox anymore but my childhood experience was also unique. Not that being an Orthodox Jew is very unique in New York but I was in show business from a very early age, about 6 years old. I had these two very divergent paths going on at the same time.
Atlanta's Jewish community is coming together the day after Yom Kippur to march for the first time in the Atlanta Pride parade — and will also be treated to a meet-and-greet with pop artist Ari Gold, who will be performing at the fest.
Atlanta Pride is set for Oct. 8-9 in the park with the parade that attracts tens of thousands of people each year on Oct. 9.
For the past 10 years, there has been a Jewish presence at Atlanta Pride, including Rabbi Josh Lesser of the gay and lesbian-founded Congregation Bet Haverim presiding with other clergy at the annual Commitment Ceremony, and the Rainbow Center, a social services program of Jewish Family & Career Services serving LGBT people, having a vendor booth.
This year through the Welcoming Synagogues Project, a national effort to make synagogues more LGBT-friendly to members and new members, large Jewish synagogues The Temple and Temple Sinai along with Bet Haverim are participating in the Pride parade.