The weather cooling down and the leaves turning are not the only signs that mark the beginning of fall anymore.
If it’s late September, that means local organizations are making final arrangements, restaurants are booking extra staff, out-of towners are finalizing travel plans, the chatter is picking up steam, and Piedmont Park is undergoing a post-Music Midtown grooming in anticipation of the biggest LGBT event in the Southeast—Atlanta Pride Weekend on Oct. 11 and 12.
There is a wide range of activities going on throughout the weekend this year, including a yoga hour, kids programming, the Pride marketplace, the community health expo, a car and motorcycle show, the commitment ceremony, the trans march, the college fair, the dyke march, and on and on and on.
But one facet of the event is creating more noise than any in recent years—the entertainment lineup set for the Coca-Cola and Bud Light stages.
The Atlanta Pride Committee did a slow rollout throughout September of the biggest names that will grace the stages come Pride weekend, building momentum throughout the month leading into the event.
The biggest acts to head south for Atlanta Pride include Meghan Trainor, chanteuse of the number one single in the country (“All About That Bass”), dance music icon Amber (“This Is Your Night”), actress and comedian Lea DeLaria (“Orange is the New Black”) and chart-topping singer Colbie Caillat (“Bubbly,” “Realize,” “Lucky”). Caillat will headline the festival on Saturday night at the Coca-Cola Stage.
The rest of the lineup of local entertainment is among the more diverse in recent memory, with several different genres covered. And it’s not just music either. Fabrefaction Theatre and drag troupe Legendary Children Atlanta will perform back-to-back to start the day on the Bud Light Stage on Saturday.
The Atlanta Pride Committee heeded the call of the community to have more DJs, so there will be sets by DJ Ree de la Vega, DJ Canvas and DJ Citizen Jane. And keeping with tradition, the final act on Sunday will be the drag blowout the Starlight Cabaret.
If you’ve been wondering if more money was put into the entertainment lineup this year, you’re right.
“Over the last few years, we have doubled the amount of money we used to spend on entertainment in order to enhance the type of entertainment we can offer during the festival,” said Buck Cooke, Atlanta Pride Committee executive director.
Per Cooke, about six percent of the budget went toward entertainment, so on a total budget of just over $800,000, that meant just under $50,000 to pack the stages with memorable acts.
But as noted, there will be plenty going on throughout the weekend to suit any taste. And you might have heard of this little parade that goes on Sunday afternoon.
Atlanta Pride
Oct. 11-12
www.atlantapride.org
2014 Official Atlanta Pride Events
Dine Out for Pride at Barrelhouse
Thursday, Oct. 2 from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Barrelhouse
Sips-N-Strokes (art class)
Friday, Oct. 3 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Sips-N-Strokes
Gurlfrandz Pride Night
Saturday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m.
Mary’s
Protect Your Relationship with Legal Documents
Saturday, Oct. 4 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Phillip Rush Center
Protect Your Relationship with Legal Documents
Sunday, Oct. 5 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Phillip Rush Center
Out On Film Screening: “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine” sponsored by Atlanta Pride
Sunday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m.
Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
HIV/AIDS Vigil
Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saint Mark United Methodist Church
Turn It Up For Change feat. Avan Lava and J.D. Samson of Le Tigre
Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
W Atlanta Midtown
Legendary Children Atlanta and Out On Film present: For Filth! A Night of Queer Shorts
Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
Atlanta Pride VIP/Sponsor Party
Friday, Oct. 10 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Georgia Aquarium
Official Atlanta Pride Kickoff Party
Friday, Oct. 10 from 7 p.m. – 11: 30 p.m.
Georgia Aquarium
50 Shades of Orange with Lea DeLaria
Friday, Oct. 10, doors open at 8 p.m.
Brought to you by MSR and Traxx Girls
My Sister’s Room
Official Atlanta Pride Kickoff Afterparty with DJ Chris Cox
Friday, Oct. 10 from 9 p.m. – 3 a.m.
Jungle
YoGaga Yoga Hour
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Piedmont Park Athletic Fields
New York Life Kids Programming
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Piedmont Park (playground and greystone area)
Georgia Safe Schools Coalition Youth Liberation Space
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (repeats on Sunday)
Piedmont Park Dock
Pride Marketplace
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (repeats on Sunday)
Piedmont Park
Community Health Expo
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (repeats on Sunday)
Piedmont Park (blue market booths)
Cultural Exhibit – Deconstructing Binaries
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10:00 a.m. – 7 p.m. (repeats on Sunday)
Piedmont Park (bridge over Lake Clara Meer)
Legendary Children Photo Booth and Drag Exchange
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Piedmont Park Bandstand
Car and Motorcycle Show
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10:45 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Roadway inside Piedmont Park between 12th and 14th St. gates
Atlanta Pride Commitment Ceremony
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
W Atlanta Midtown
Atlanta Pride Trans March
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Starts at Charles Allen Gate at Piedmont Park, ends inside park at 14th St. entrance
Campus Pride College Fair
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Large tent near playground and greystone pool house
Atlanta Pride Dyke March
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Starts at Charles Allen Gate at Piedmont Park, ends inside park at 14th St. entrance
Queer Your Gender Dance Party
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 6:45 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Bud Light Stage, Piedmont Park Pavilion
Official Atlanta Pride Women’s Party: Crush
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 8 p.m. – 2 a.m.
My Sister’s Room
Official Atlanta Pride Brunch: 13th Annual HRC Pride Brunch
Sunday, Oct. 11 from 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Empire State South
Atlanta Pride Parade
Sunday, Oct. 12 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Peachtree St. and 10th St.
Starlight Cabaret
Sunday, Oct. 12 from 7:25 p.m. – 9:25 p.m.
Coca-Cola Stage, Piedmont Park Meadow
Official Atlanta Pride Closing Party w/ Rosabel
Sunday, Oct. 12 from 9 p.m. – 3 a.m.
Opera
2014 Atlanta Pride Entertainment Schedule
Bud Light Stage
Saturday
Fabrefaction Theatre – 12 p.m.
Legendary Children Atlanta – 1 p.m.
Ricky Simone – 1:45 p.m.
Michael Powers – 2:30 p.m.
Monica Mason – 3:15 p.m.
Wesley Cook – 4:10 p.m.
Neil Cribbs – 5:10 p.m.
Queer Your Gender Dance Party with DJ Ree de la Vega – 6:45 p.m.
Sunday
House Music – 3 p.m.
DJ Canvas – 4 p.m.
Coca-Cola Stage
Saturday
Maria Gabriella Band – 2 p.m.
Cousin Dan – 3 p.m.
Symphony Crack Orchestra – 3:50 p.m.
Gurufish – 4:45 p.m.
Kick the Robot – 5:50 p.m.
Meghan Trainor – 6:50 p.m.
Amber – 7:25 p.m.
Headliner- Colbie Caillat – 8:25 p.m.
Sunday
House Music – 3 p.m.
Michel Jons Band – 4 p.m.
DJ Citizen Jane – 5:20 p.m.
Yacht Rock Revue – 6 p.m.
Lea DeLaria – 6:55 p.m.
Starlight Cabaret – 7:25 p.m.