North County Pride In The Park IV takes place this Saturday, Oct. 4, at Brengle Terrace Park in Vista. The event will be open from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m., and admission is free.

North County Pride is not a smaller version of the San Diego LGBT Pride festival; there is no parade or weekend slate of clubbing activities. The event was established in 1999 by Stephen Scott, project director for UCSF’s Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, as a networking opportunity for North County GLBTs, and to let residents in and around San Diego’s North County learn about the many GLBT resources and organizations available to them. Pride in the Park is literally meant to be a GLBT day out at the park. The festival takes place in a central area of Brengle Terrace Park, and is geared towards family activities.

“A lot of families and a lot of kids will come out to celebrate,” said Russell Poncik, a member of the North County Pride in the Park IV advisory committee. “That’s a good thing — I like that a lot. It’s kind of like a picnic, and an opportunity to meet and greet. A lot of the [GLBT] organizations have offices down in San Diego and in North County, but there are a lot of agencies that service North County that some residents are not aware of. There are a lot of organizations and resources that are right in their back yard, and we help them know what’s going on.”

Before North County Pride, there was no ongoing resource that unified GLBT organizations in North County. “Scott was working with one of the clinics up there at the time,” recalled Poncik. “[The first North County Pride] was just a need, and it grew from there. The next year, entertainment was added and more people got on board; it’s grown in the last four years. This will be the second year that we’re using Brengle Park’s recreation room. We’re also able to use the grounds outside to cook and have people sit and enjoy the day.”

The opening ceremony of the festival will recognize four North County Stars; people who have contributed substantially to the betterment of the GLBT community in North County. Scott will be honored, as well as Dennis Finnel, Ernesto Rivera, and Diane Warner.

Finnel is Director of Being Alive San Diego’s North County Resource Center, and has worked with HIV/AIDS programs since 1989. Rivera is program director for Pets Are Wonderful Support, and has been active in the North County GLBT community since 1990. Warner has been a volunteer in the youth community since 1970, and recently helped form North County’s Circle of Friends youth group.

“The park has been wonderful to work with,” said Poncik, “They have hosted us for the last four years, and they look forward to it, because there hasn’t been any [negative] issues at all.” Many passersby stop by the festival during the day, and there have so far not been very many problems with protesters or public disturbances. “We take the necessary precautions,” Poncik continued, “if you want to call them precautions. We have security in place.”

The festival will again offer a resource and health fair, a children’s area and live entertainment, including comedy, drag, and local musicians. There will be food, wine, a beer tent, and various local vendors offering refreshments. This year, an art exhibit room has been added. Artwork will be displayed in a special exhibit space, sponsored by Real Individuals Seeking Expression.

Approximately 30 nonprofit vendors participated last year in the resource health fair, and vendor participation has increased to 50 this year, with space open to both nonprofit and for-profit vendors. “I had set a goal to get about fifty organizations involved and we’ve met that goal, so we’re very excited about that,” said Poncik. “Support for companies participating in the event is on the rise. Miller Lite is partnered in with us as far as helping with the beer garden, and we have a lot of giveaways that we’re going to do....

“It’s kind of mellow, and that’s kind of how we want it; to have a picnic, get together and visit.”

The advisory committee is planning to make the first Saturday of October the permanent date for future North County Prides. The date was moved from summer to fall this year to avoid conflicts with other GLBT events in the local vicinity, and to avoid the summer heat.

Move yourself to attend North County Pride In The Park IV. Visit this article at www.gaylesbiantimes.com for further information.