SP Staff Blog

From everyone here at The Sunday Paper, have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

This weekend's for celebrating -- not just in the sense of "proud to be an American," but also in the "proud to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and any other category you might happen to fall in because you were born a certain way and damn it, you embrace yourself" sense. Yes, Atlanta Gay Pride is upon us, my friends. If you like it, come celebrate. If you don't, put your angry "gays are spawns of Satan, but I still wear wool and eat pork" Bible-beating signs down and give it a rest already.

Why we celebrate...

What the hell is Atlanta Gay Pride, anyway? It's certainly not just a flamboyant show of feathers and leather. It's far more meaningful. Typically, Atlanta Gay Pride takes place in late June (the third weekend, to be exact) to honor the historic Stonewall Riots, which took place June 28, 1969. The event was a major catalyst for the GLBT community as it helped us develop a very strong and unified front. Standing together, we were going to fight back ... again and again. With organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign lobbying for our rights in Congress and California legalizing gay marriage, progress continues to be made, though we're far from true equality. As we band together during Pride, we're embracing our community for all that it is -- a veritable rainbow of bright personalities from all walks of life, be it attorneys and surgeons, teachers and police officers, military and artists, CEOs and sanitation workers, editors and accountants, restaurateurs and ministers, neighbors and friends. Together, we celebrate our similarities and our differences -- proudly.

What to do this weekend...

Because of the drought, Pride's 3-day celebration has been moved to the 4th of July weekend and from Piedmont Park to the Atlanta Civic Center. There's a plethora of activities this weekend to celebrate Atlanta Gay Pride, not just at the Atlanta Civic Center and the parade, but also at all the gay and lesbian bars around town. 

The main Atlanta Pride event is the three-day Atlanta Pride Festival, which takes place this year downtown at the Atlanta Civic Center (395 Piedmont Ave. NE). The festival kicks off at 6 pm on Friday, July 4, and lasts until 11 p.m. The next two days, Saturday and Sunday, the festival continues at the park, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Admission is free, and during the festival there's live music and comedy; a Pride Market featuring dozens of vendors, GLBT organizations and crafters; and a variety of forums and ceremonies.

Entertainment at Atlanta Pride is extensive and varied, and typically includes movies, concerts, cabaret and fashion shows. On Saturday, the Festival presents the first of two big parades, the Dyke March, which starts at 6 pm. The Atlanta Pride Parade is held on Sunday afternoon at 1 pm.

Happy Pride!

Welcome back, Jimmy Baron! Jimmy just sent me this message on his Facebook page (yeah, we love Facebook, too):

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Charles Walter "Chuck" Dryden, a member of the famed WWII Tuskegee Airmen, will be eulogized today following his death last week at the age of 87. Funeral services will be held at Cascade United Methodist Church, 3144 Cascade Road in Atlanta. The Rev. Andrew Young, former U.N. ambassador and Atlanta mayor, will deliver the eulogy.

Dryden trained at the Tuskegee Army Flying School in Alabama and was among the second class of black pilots to graduate pilot training in U.S. military history. On June 9, 1943, he made history yet again, leading a flight of six pilots against enemy aircraft over Sicily, the first time black American pilots of the U.S. Army Air Corps had engaged in aerial combat.

Dryden also flew combat missions in Korea and served as a professor of air science at Howard University, among many other distinctions. He also wrote a book about his life, "A-Train: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman." Our condolences to his family.

Gas prices are steadily climbing, but that's not stopping us from shopping great deals. Savvy shoppers, read on.

From July 2 to July 9, Fickle Manor's got all spring and summer clothes marked down 30-50 percent off. And July 10-16, everything is 50-70 percent off. Great finds from Notice, Liquid, Nicole Miller, Veronica M, Curtsey, Envi, Johnny Was and more. www.ficklemanor.com

Get deep discounts at the Boutique Warehouse Sale Friday, July 18th & Saturday, July 19th from 10 to 6 at Atlantic Station (above Metropolitan Deluxe). Enjoy merchandise at 50-75 percent off from The Fickle Manor, Sandpiper, Bloom, Boogaloos, Chelsea Parkes, fab'rik, Pella, Mooncake, Tulipano, Liv's and more. www.boutiquebargainsatl.com

When tragedy strikes, we huddle around our TVs, our radios and our computers, trying to get more information, shaking our heads in disbelief and wishing there was something we could do. This was the feeling we all shared when Meredith Emerson was kidnapped from the North Georgia mountains on New Year's Day and then subsequently found murdered on January 7. This Wednesday, June 25, Atlantans have an opportunity to honor and remember Meredith Emerson by dining out at any Atlanta and North Georgia Applebee's location anytime during store hours. The restaurant chain will donate 15 percent of diners' total bills to Right to Hike, Inc. However, you must present this invitation to their servers in order for your efforts to count.

Right to Hike, Inc. was founded in memoriam of Meredith with plans to support causes close to Meredith's heart, including hiking safety. June 25 is five days after what would have been Meredith's 25th birthday.

There are 40 Applebee's in metro Atlanta. Find the one closest to you here.

If you enjoyed his Emmy-winning turn on “Will & Grace” or his one-man show “Like a Dog on Linoleum,” you’ll definitely want to see LESLIE JORDAN in person at Outwrite Bookstore and Coffeehouse as the pocket-sized funny man reads from and signs his new memoir, “My Trip Down the Pink Carpet.” The book details his humble beginnings, his struggles with addiction, celebrity encounters and more. Event starts at 7:30m p.m. Admission is free with purchase of the book. 404-607-0082. www.outwritebooks.com.

Cold drinks, live music, a beautiful environment to enjoy them in—these are the promises offered by the SMIRNOFF ICE LIGHT MIDSUMMER MUSIC FEST, which gets underway at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, June 21, at Candler Park. The event, which doubles as an 11th birthday bash for local sports talk station 790 the Zone, also features a 5K run at 9 a.m., but the highlight is a live music roster including the Cazanovas, Swami, the Taj Motel Trio, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ and headliners Blues Traveler. For more information, visit www.790thezone.com.

Enjoy live entertainment, video games, prizes and more at the REGULAR GUYS ALL-NIGHTER, kicking off at 11 p.m. tonight at the StarTime Entertainment complex in Roswell. Guests get access to the staff of Rock 100.5’s “Regular Guys,” a $50 game card for arcade games, live-band hard rock karaoke courtesy of Metalsome, a DJ and dancing, shooter girls and screenings of “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” For more information, call 770-817-4242 or visit www.regularguys.com.

Shoulder pads, Dr. Ruth and “Dynasty” are just a few artifacts from the ’80s unlikely to make a comeback anytime soon. Certain classics, however, will always remain timeless—and E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL is one of them. Head out to Centennial Olympic Park tonight for an evening of nostalgia with Screen on the Green’s showing of this classic family film. Show up at 7 p.m. to kick back and enjoy the sounds of local pop/rock artist Bria Kam. Admission is free (but don’t bring any glass containers, alcohol, grills or pets, please). 404-575-7888. www.peachtreetv.com.