At LA Pride 2018, the bulk of the financial support was donated by North Star Psychiatric Services. North Star owner Brian Haigh is pictured here with a volunteer-built, smoke-spewing dragon he helped fund. Courtesy photo

At LA Pride 2018, private donations were used to purchase T-shirts and fabric paint, inflatable pool tubes for the “make your own float” station, and balloons and bubble solution for the “over the rainbow” bubble challenge, among other materials for festival activities. Courtesy photo

BY CRISTINA OLDS

Would you like to be part of what was called one of the top three events in Los Alamos?

Join in the organizing of Los Alamos Pride Week 2019! Your presence, your in-person help, and your financial and material donations are what will make this year’s event even more spectacular than last. Let’s create the very best event in all of Los Alamos this June.

Los Alamos Pride Festival, the culmination of Pride Week from June 9–15, will be celebrated on Friday, June 14, 4–7 p.m. at Central Park Square (the grassy quad beside Unquarked).

How can you help?

For starters, plan to attend the events and show your support for the diverse and fabulous community that is our hometown. Bring your family and friends, neighbors and strangers.

For those who can do a little more, consider volunteering to help plan and organize the many fun activities during Pride Week and happening at the Festival. The next meeting is April 8 at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos. The community is invited to participate in this meeting and any of the future meetings to be held at the same time and location: April 18, May 6, May 16, and May 30.

If time isn’t yours to give, consider a monetary donation of any amount to fund materials and supplies for the activities, food and decorations for the celebration, and costs of local service providers (DJ, caterers, stage hands.)  

Special this year, drag queen Bella Gigante and comedian Quinn Fontaine will perform during Pride Week and at the Festival. Donations will help pay them for their professional performances that otherwise have never been seen in Los Alamos.

Friends of Los Alamos Pride (FLAP) also needs money and support to apply for nonprofit status.

As FLAP acquires its 501(c)(3) tax status from the IRS, the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos has graciously agreed to accept monetary donations are our behalf. Checks can be made to Unitarian Church of Los Alamos; write “FLAP 2019” on the memo line. Mail checks to Friends of Los Alamos Pride, PO Box 1332, Los Alamos, NM 87544, or drop off checks in person at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos or Boomerang Consignment and Resale. 

Focus on local involvement

FLAP members would love to help local businesses host events during Pride Week and the Festival, especially those nearby the Central Park Square area. If you own a business, consider holding an art show, talent show, or poetry reading, contact flaplosalamos@gmail.com.

Or maybe you have an idea of an activity or event you’d like to host during Pride Week — please share your talents and enthusiasm with FLAP and help make this the best LA Pride ever.

To help with fundraising or to otherwise volunteer, contact flaplosalamos@gmail.com. 

Photo captions: At LA Pride 2018, the bulk of the financial support was donated by North Star Psychiatric Services. North Star owner Brian Haigh is pictured here with a volunteer-built, smoke-spewing dragon he helped fund.

At LA Pride 2018, private donations were used to purchase T-shirts and fabric paint, inflatable pool tubes for the “make your own float” station, and balloons and bubble solution for the “over the rainbow” bubble challenge, among other materials for festival activities.