The sun is shining, days are getting longer and summer is almost here, which can only mean one thing – Pride season is almost here! Can you believe it? I can barely wrap my brain around how quickly this past year has flown by, but I am definitely excited for summer in San Diego. And with all the changes taking place at San Diego Pride headquarters, I am excited for Pride ’06 as well. Pride will take place July 28-30, and with the regime change that has taken place at the Pride office since last year’s scandal, things are looking different for the event this year. A new group of people are heading up the festivities and change is in the air! It’s time to get excited and it’s time to get…well, proud again!

First off, did you know that there is going to be an official Women’s Zone at Pride this summer, complete with an entertainment stage? I recently spoke with Ron deHarte, the new executive director of Pride, about this exciting addition, and he had some really interesting things to say about why this step was necessary.

“The Women’s Zone is an idea that came out of conversations and brainstorming sessions with people about what else Pride could do that would encourage participation from the community, but also provide something different from what we’ve done in the past,” deHarte explained. “It came up very early in our discussions that we don’t have a specific space geared toward women. San Francisco Pride has one, and it’s very well developed – in fact, it’s an attraction in its own right. We view the Women’s Zone as one step in trying to create something new and exciting.”

DeHarte noted that word is beginning to spread about the Women’s Zone, and entertainers and performers are already beginning to sign up to participate in the space, which will feature music, poetry and women’s activism. He also explained that the Pride committee hopes that the women’s space will detract from the assumption that the festival is predominantly geared toward young gay males.

The addition of a women’s space is just one of the many changes we can expect to see at the Pride festival this year. In other changes, there will be a Latino stage, an African-American stage, a much larger dance floor and a 21-plus main stage area. The Pride committee is working hard to recruit a wide range of entertainers, encompassing all types of music, as well as working to incorporate as many local performers as possible into the two-day lineup.

“We are hoping to encourage people who haven’t been to Pride in a while to come back, as well as to encourage newcomers to attend and enjoy,” deHarte said. “In the end, it’s really about having fun and providing something that’s going to appeal to as many members of our community as possible.”

For more information on the Women’s Zone at Pride, stay tuned to Lavender Lens magazine (a sponsor of the area) and Pride’s Web site, www.sdpride.org.

In other dyke news, the word is out that Tammy Lynn Michaels, wife of Melissa Etheridge, is pregnant with twins! “We are thrilled to announce that Tammy is pregnant, and expecting our twins sometime around this fall,” the singer and the actress said in a joint statement on Etheridge’s official Web site. This time, they opted to steer clear of Crosby, Stills & Nash, and used an anonymous donor from a sperm bank. Adds the posting: “These are our first two babies conceived together, but not our first time mothering together. For the past five years, we have been parenting two children from a previous time in Melissa’s life. The twins will be a joyful addition to our loving home.” Congratulations, ladies!

The Center’s fourth annual Women’s Night is approaching quickly and tickets are already on sale on The Center’s Web site, www.thecentersd.org. Join the celebration on Saturday, May 6, at 7:00 p.m. at the new NTC Promenade, located in Point Loma. The event will feature authentic Mediterranean cuisine, live entertainment and dancing, all in a luxurious setting filled with San Diego’s most interesting women. Annual Women’s Night is a celebration of San Diego’s lesbian, bisexual and transgender women’s community, and is the only event of its kind in San Diego County. The event recognizes local women who have made significant contributions to the GLBT community, and benefits the Women’s Resource Center. Tickets are $150 per person, $250 VIP or $1,500 for a VIP table. For more information, contact Jennifer Jones at (619) 692-2077 ext. 204.

Wednesday nights are heating up at The Beauty Bar San Diego (4746 El Cajon Blvd.), thanks to DJ Robin Roth’s 007-inspired Club Pussy Galore! If you haven’t been by Beauty Bar yet, swing by on a Wednesday night for go-go girls, pussy shots (half price if you say, “I love pussy” at the bar!) and tons of beautiful hipster girls. You can even get a manicure while you’re drinking with your friends! And, best of all, there’s no cover from 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.! Swing by this Wednesday, April 26, to see a live performance from feminist female hip-hop artist MC Flow (www.myspace.com/mcflow), hittin’ the stage at 10:00 p.m. Don’t miss this show!

In terms of summer concerts, a few ladies are passing through San Diego with shows that may be of interest. Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall comes to the House of Blues on Thursday, May 11; goddess India.Arie performs on Thursday, June 22, as part of Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay; and, of course, lesbo favorites The Indigo Girls make their annual stop at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay on Friday, July 7.

ArtWalk 2006, which celebrates visual and performing artists from San Diego and Tijuana, will take place Saturday and Sunday, April 29-30, from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. Events are centered in Little Italy (from Beech Street to Fir Street). Spend your day gazing at tons of unique art pieces, or check out the great live-entertainment lineup, which includes Steph Johnson, Anna Troy, Al Howard and the K23 Orchestra, Ashley Matte and more!

Everybody’s favorite emcee, Laura Jane, is hosting a new Point Loma open mic at Riley’s (2901 Nimitz Blvd.) on Thursday nights, beginning April 20. Sign-ups start at 7:30 p.m., and any type of performance is welcome, from spoken-word and comedy to music and madness. Bring it on!

Another No Name Art Show and Party will take place on Saturday, June 10, at the Yale Lofts (1115 F St. downtown). This is a great spot to support local artists, so mark your calendars now! DJ Nicklebag will spin ’80s and more all night. There is a $2 donation. For available art space, call Franki and Leslie at (619) 920-4883.

Now that the weather’s getting great again (OK, when hasn’t it been great?), it’s time to begin hitting the ladies happy hour at Bourbon Street on Fridays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Wander the patio in search of your next ex-girlfriend while enjoying the lady-friendly drink specials!

With the sun shining, it’s also a great time to hit Hamburger Mary’s for a cool blue cocktail! Just in case you’ve forgotten, every Tuesday is Liquid Skyy with DJ Tova spinning the hottest R&B and hip-hop from old school and new school artists. And there’s no cover! I plan to check out the Trash Disco night on Wednesdays. Come and relive the ’70s with all your favorite hits of that era. Also relive the drink prices, with $2 well drinks from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. And, of course, don’t forget Mary’s famous Sunday brunch! For just $16.95 it’s all you can eat and all you can drink champagne, mimosas, orange juice, coffee, ice tea or soft drinks. This fabulous brunch is served from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Sunday. There is always a wait, but that’s part of the San Diego Mary’s experience. Cheers!

Sundays are also hot down at Six Degrees, where it’s fun to kick it on the patio and hang out with friends. On Sundays, bloody Mary’s and mimosas are just $1 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and there is $3 barbecue and a 50-cent beer bust from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Hope to see you out around town! In the meantime, send any news, events and gossip to editor@uptownpub.com. Thanks!