The Antiviral Research Center (AVRC) is offering a free ticket to the San Diego Pride festival for taking the HIV early test at the AVRC and the San Diego LGBT Community Center. The early test is available at the AVRC Monday through Fridays and at The Center on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Anyone wanting to take an HIV test and especially those who may be in the one- to six-month period after a possible exposure are encouraged to take the test. Participants must be 18 years of age or older.

Why be tested? Persons with recent HIV risk behaviors who test antibody negative may be in the acute or early phases of their infection. They have a high probability of transmitting HIV, yet low probability of being detected by a normal antibody test.

The early test looks for virus instead of antibodies. Persons considering having the early test must wait seven days since their last exposure before taking the test. Results for the early test are given two weeks later.

The offer ends Saturday, July 11, or once supplies are out. The AVRC is located at 150 West Washington St., Suite 100 and The Center is located at 3909 Centre St. Both are located in Hillcrest. For more information, call 619-543-8080 or visit https://theearlytest.ucsd.edu.

The San Diego Women’s Chorus (SDWC) will present a very special one-night-only screening of Mamma Mia! on Wednesday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. The screening will take place at the Ultra Star Cinemas located at 7510 Hazard Center Dr. in Mission Valley. An official San Diego Pride 2009 event, this fun-filled and ABBA-themed fundraising event will benefit SDWC’s Sister Singers Fund as well as San Diego Pride’s Youth Activity Fund.

This sure-to-sell-out event which is open to the general public will feature a fully interactive presentation of the smash-hit movie musical Mamma Mia! and will include door prizes, opportunity drawings and a costume contest. The women of SDWC will help lead attendees through the musical numbers throughout the movie and the event will include door prizes, opportunity drawings and a costume contest. in the film like “Dancing Queen,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight),” and “Take a Chance on Me.” The Women’s Chorus promises other exciting audience participation moments as well.

“We invite everyone – gay or straight, young or old – to join us for this evening of song and silliness,” stated SDWC President Dawn Levy. “If you love musicals, if you love ABBA, if you love the freedom of singing in your seat in the safety of a dimly-lit theatre, then this is the event for you.”

The San Diego Women’s Chorus is non-audition, lesbian-identified community chorus that welcomes all women, regardless of sexual orientation, who are interested in singing and performing. Through musical expression, SDWC encourages women’s creativity, celebrates diversity and inspires social action. The Sister Singers Fund will help SDWC members travel to Chicago to attend the Sister Singers Network 2010 Choral Festival.

The mission of San Diego Pride is to foster pride in and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities – locally and globally. The Youth Activity Fund provides a safe and welcoming place for youth at the San Diego Pride Festival and supports youth activities during the Pride Celebration.

Advanced tickets are available for $18, while advanced tickets for seniors, students, and disabled attendees are just $15. Tickets will be $20 at the door the day of the event.

For more details about Mamma Mia or to purchase tickets, please visit www.sdwcSDWC.org, send an e-mail to info@SDWC.org, or call SDWC at 619-291-FEMM (3366).

San Diego LGBT Pride is enlisting the support of the community for honoring active members of the military with free admission into Pride’s 35th annual festival, July 18 and 19.

For each $15 contribution, which can be made directly from the Web site (SanDiegoPride.org) under the “tickets” section, Pride will furnish a free ticket to an enlisted service member. Donors can purchase the tickets anytime before the festival dates with no service charge.

Additionally, civilian tickets can also be purchased on the Web site, and printed at home to ensure faster entry into the festival grounds. Early-bird rates of $15 a day or $25 for a two-day pass are now available to the general public before July 1.

“The Board of Directors and staff wholeheartedly thank The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) for their financial support of this program and for providing “know your rights” cards distributed at the festival to all active duty service members,” said Philip Princetta, Chair of San Diego Pride Board of Directors. “This program is just one small way in which we as a community can show our appreciation and support for those who serve in our armed forces It’s time to bring an end to the ‘Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell’ law. LGBT members of the military alongside all other members risk their lives for the country they love and there is no reason why they should not be treated as equal. With a new administration in the White House, we need to continue placing appropriate and deliberate pressure on the president and Congress to repeal the act!”

This year’s Pride celebration, titled “Stonewall 2.0 – Activism for Equality,” will also include a float-filled parade through the heart of Hillcrest, beginning at University Avenue and Normal Street. The mile-long procession will proceed west down University to Sixth Avenue, and then south to Upas Street.

For more information or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, call 619-297-7683, or visit the Web site: SanDiegoPride.org.

San Diego Dyke March and Festival (SDDMF) needs local artists to present their work, recycled clothing to create merchandise and vendors to fill its vending space.

This year, SDDMF will be having an art walk. To present your work at the festival, e-mail littlemacmanagement@yahoo.com.

In a move to become more earth friendly, SDDMF has decided to use recycled clothing for its merchandise and is asking everyone to donate any clothing they no longer use or clothing purchased at a thrift store or yard sale. To donate recycled clothing, e-mail dykemarchsd@yahoo.com.

SDDMF includes a row of diverse vendors, and space is still available for this year’s festival. The cost is $25 for profit organizations or businesses and no charge for nonprofit organizations. SDDMF is unable to provide a canopy and or tables. To request vending space, e-mail littlemacmanagement@yahoo.com.

Dyke March will take place at the fountain in Balboa Park on Sunday, July 12, at 11 a.m. The crowd will walk to North Park at 11:30 a.m. sharp. Shuttles will be available for those who cannot walk the distance. The march will end at the festival site at 8Teen Art & Cultural Center, on the corner of Ohio Street and University Avenue. For more information on the SDDMF, visit www.dykemarchsd.org or call 619-692-2077, ext. 212.

The 2009-10 edition of the HillQuest, Urban Guide made its initial distribution to advertiser locations throughout San Diego. Publishers Ann Garwood and Nancy Moors produced HQ7, which includes maps of Hillcrest and Bankers Hill/Balboa Park featuring hiking trails and self-guided tours.

“Every year we hear from communities asking us to publish similar guides for them, but our passion (and home) is Hillcrest,” Moors said. “Be on the lookout for our little electric truck, and give us a wave. We’ll return it with a beep beep and a smile!”

The annual urban almanac serves as a one-stop information source directing readers to the HillQuest.com Web site for a larger amount of trivia, photos, movies and history of the Hillcrest community. The Web site is updated throughout the year.

“That’s where we put most of our energy...and we don’t need to cut down more trees,” added Garwood.

HillQuest celebrates this year’s edition with the Hop in the ’Hood block party, which will be held on Seventh Avenue between Robinson Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue on Sunday, July 5, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The annual Flower Power Parade will begin at 12:15 p.m.

The block party will include entertainment featuring Kim Evans, Danielle Lo Presti & the Masses, the SD Women’s Drum Circle, Rhythm & the Method, Sam Johnson Jazz Duo and Sue Palmer’s Motel Swing with songbird Laura Jane taking the stage as the talented mistress of ceremonies. Parking is available in the AT&T lot. For more information on HillQuest, the Hop in the ’Hood or the Flower Power Parade, e-mail info@hillquest.com or call 619-260-1929.