Tacoma Pride kicks off with a rainbow flag | Community Spirit

A solitary figure hoisted a rainbow flag above Tacoma's City Hall Wednesday afternoon. The gesture was small, but the meaning great.

"We are very proud in Tacoma, Washington, to be the first city in America, I believe, to fly the pride flag over City Hall," Mayor Marilyn Strickland told the assembled crowd.

The flag will kicks off Tacoma Pride and will fly for the 10-day duration of the festival, an event touted by its organizers as the longest of its kind in the nation.

"You know people have a pride day, they have a parade. We do it for 10 days in Tacoma because when we do something we really get down," Strickland said.

Strickland told the crowd the city and Pride organizers wanted to make a statement - a statement too big for even the Tacoma Dome.

"Here's what that statement says," Strickland said. It says that the City of Tacoma is inclusive, that it is open to all people and that it supports equality.

The flag was hoisted into the air after Strickland's remarks to applause and cheers.

"It's super cool," said Tacoma City Councilman Ryan Mello, wiping his eyes and hugging the mayor. "It's a really remarkable feeling."

Strickland walked several steps closer to the street for a vantage point tha tincluded both the rainbow flag and the American flag behind it.

"If you look at this particular view, if you look at the pride flag with the American flag it's really representative of the United States of America ... civil liberties for all," Strickland said, adding, "It's about basic human decency."

The flag-raising was followed by Pride Foundation Awards at the Pantages Theatre and are just two of the many events taking place over the next week and a half.

Friday, July 8 - Boy Band Night Out

• The Monkees, 7:30 p.m., Pantages Theater
• The Backstreet Boys and the New Kids on the Block, 7:30 p.m., Tacoma Dome

Saturday, July 9 - Out in the Park

• Out in the Park: Tacoma's Annual LGBTQA Pride Celebration, noon - 6 p.m., Broadway between Ninth and 11th Streets. "Vendors, food, music, performers and more!"
• Mix Pride Street Party, 4 p.m., St. Helens Avenue between Sixth and Seventh Streets.
• Oasis Youth Center barbecue, 5 p.m. - midnight. Call (253) 671-2838 or email oasisyouthcenter@gmail.com for more information.

Sunday, July 10 - Services

• Ecumenical Equality Message, 10: 30 a.m., Urban Grace church
• LGBT Panel Discussion on Faith and Equality, 12:15 p.m., Urban Grace church, room 301

Monday, July 11 - LGBT Film Series

• Patrik: Age 1.5, 6:30 p.m., The Grand Cinema. Discussion to follow the film.

Tuesday, July 12 - LGBT Film Series

• The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls, 6:30 p.m., The Grand Cinema. Discussion to follow the film.

Wednesday, July 13 - LGBT Film Series

• The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 6:30 p.m., The Grand Cinema. Discussion to follow the film.

Thursday, July 14 - more events

• A Queer Notion: Banning the LGBT Canon, 7 p.m., King's Books
• Tacoma Farmer's Market, 10:30 a.m.  - 4 p.m., Broadway between Ninth and 11th Streets

Friday, July 15 - even more events

• RC 101: A Rainbow Center Open House, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., Tacoma Rainbow Center

Saturday, July 16 - Proud

• Oasis Youth Center Festival: Proud, 7 - 9 p.m., Theater on the Square Park