gay festival promises lots of fun and colour

By Cyriel Freijser

February 16, 2006: The fourth edition of Cape Town's Gay Pride Festival kicks off on Friday with the Red Party at Cruz in Green Point, followed by 10 days of celebrations and events in red and pink.

The opening night will see the crowning of Miss Gay Pride 2006, music by DJ Mitzi, and hundreds of people dancing in red, the "colour of love".

Festival director Russell Southey expects over 10 000 people from all over the world will flood into Cape Town "to feel part of the broader gay community. The festival's events will be a place for gay people where they can be free, be themselves".

At Sliver, women will battle it out in a DJ contest on the same night and there will be an arts exposition at the VEO Gallery in Jarvis Street, exhibiting works revolving around gay issues.

The second day, Saturday, the party picks up at the Kenilworth Race Course, dubbed the Pink Race Day. People can book a table for 10, abiding by the dress code of pink.

On Sunday, residents of Gugulethu will get to see plenty of pink when a "mini" parade of up to a thousand people parties its way through the streets.

The main parade, with scores of floats is scheduled for next Saturday from Green Point through the centre of Cape Town and back.

On Sunday afternoon several gay authors will be at the Pride Book Fair at the Cape Info Africa centre in Napier Street for readings and signing their books.

Leaders from several different religions will come together on Monday at the Mowbray Town Hall to speak about homosexuality and religion.

From Monday to Friday Cape Town's Civic Centre will serve as an information post about HIV and Aids from a gay perspective.

Any profits made during the ten-day period will be allocated towards the goal of a shelter for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transsexuals.

Southey hopes the shelter will be a reality within three years: "Many young gay people who disclose their sexual preference are kicked out of the house by their family, and existing shelters are often not very gay-friendly."

For the full programme visit: www.capetownpride.co.za