Friends And Neighbors

I don't know what to say. Whatever floats your boat, as the saying has it. That's part of the idea behind the Pridefest Parade.

New assignment tonight and tomorrow. It's time for the St. Louis Theatre Crawl. More than thirty local theater groups give brief performances as the audience rotates from one to another every half hour, taking their pick from an artistic buffet. I'm one of the volunteer photographers.              

Liberal Lutherans

Such a thing exists, and right here in St. Louis! (Although there are, um, others.) There is a national Lutheran organization called Reconciling In Christ that advocates for inclusion of people of all sexual orientations in the church community. Several local parishes banded together to march in the Pridefest parade. I might note that I go home with the person in the first two pictures holding the beads and a flag in the third shot. 

Proud Dogs

I'm not normally a dog photographer or a pet person in general. We have an indolent cat at home but that's it. (I showed Ellie the Monty Python Confuse A Cat sketch a couple  of days ago. I don't think she gets it yet.) However, when I'm on the street I'll take a picture of anything that crosses my path, including pups at the Pridefest Parade. This post is in honor of our colleague Jilly Bennett, dog photographer extraordinaire.      

Pridefest Parade

Pridefest Parade downtown. I think it's gotten about as big as the St. Patrick's day parade and it is much more colorful. Above, the ever-popular Balloon Brigade. Below, local nobility.

     

Gay Faces And Friends

People passing by in the parade, from the ordinary to the very out there. IMHO, tolerant societies have been the culturally richest and most successful.     

Politics

There is a notable element of politics at events like the Pridefest Parade. It all swings leftward. Everyone in my family would like one of those tee shirts. Unlike many other public events, the Republican Party was not represented.     

Tears Of Joy, Slurp Of Soda

At least that's how I interpret it. Form your own opinion.

May of may not do theme day tomorrow - I'll have to pull something from the archives. There's lots more of this material and we're on the road Friday for the holiday weekend. Off to the north woods and a part of this big country I've never seen before. Report maybe on Saturday, Sunday for sure.              

Pride

Sunday brought us the Pridefest Parade, one of the best photo opportunities of the year whether you are straight, gay or just rather undulating. Not the best shooting day for me. Got there too late to have enough time in the staging area. The weather was oppressively hot and humid. With the amount of gear I strap on myself - two camera bodies and a bag full of stuff - on a long walk, at my age I might have been near some medical trouble. It gets a little harder every year.      

You Can't Get There From Here

A signpost? I can't interpret it so I will leave it to you.

Up to the 103rd floor observatory of the new Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center this morning and a wander around Manhattan after that. Pix soon thereafter.                       

Balloon Brigade

The St. Louis Balloon Brigade is a fixture at the Pridefest Parade. I love the combination of psychedelic angel's wings and multicolored spaghetti they wear on their backs and shoulders. I took so many pictures of them but I had to chose a sample.

Today is a travel day. If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere.