NYC Gay Pride Month Launch Party Set For June 4

Pride Goes East, a partnership of the Lower East Side Business Improvement District (LES BID) and Fourth Arts Block (FAB) announce an outdoor NYC Gay Pride Month Launch Party, to be held on Saturday, June 4, 2011, from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Orchard Street (between East Houston and Stanton St.). The festival will feature musical acts including headliner Sir Ari Gold, a Go Gaga Look-Alike Competition, and food and outdoor activities. The event will kick off a month of Lower East Side cultural performances and a shop-a-thon to benefit The Imperial Court and other LGBT charities. For full information about the event, visit www.pridegoeseast.org. The NYC Gay Pride Month Launch Party is an official partner of NYC Pride (www.nycpride.org).

A Go Gaga Look-Alike Competition will be held as a part of the festivities. Lady Gaga look-alikes will compete for the crown of best Lady Gaga impersonator. Lady Gaga is a former resident of the Lower East Side, so competitors are encouraged to incorporate items from the Lower East Side into their costumes, which can be replicas of Lady Gaga's real outfits, or original costumes that evoke Lady Gaga's look.

Judges for the Go Gaga Look-Alike Competition include The Emperor and Empress of the Imperial Court of New York, which supports a number of LGBT organizations. More information about the Imperial Court can be found at www.icny.org. Other judges include Jason Zinnoman, theater critic for The New York Times and downtown personality and performance artist Carmelita Tropicana. The winner of the Go-Gaga competition will receive a prize package that includes a night's stay at the GEM Hotel (www.thegemhotel.com), a pair of VIP tickets to Dixon Place's HOT! Festival ( www.dixonplace.org), and dinner for two at Café Katja (www.cafekatja.com).

As part of Pride Goes East, 5% of any money spent at local LES businesses featured in the LES Neighborhood Guide (found at www.lowereastsideny.com) and the Get Local Guide (found at www.evccnyc.org) will be donated to the Imperial Court of New York, when receipts are dropped off at the Lower East Side Visitor Center, 54 Orchard Street, or the East Village Visitors Center, located at 75 East 4th Street. The donations will benefit numerous LGBT organizations, including the The Imperial Court, Ali Fornay Center for Gay & Lesbian Youth, The Door LGBT programs, and Bronx Pride.

Featured performances include:
Headliner: Sir Ari Gold (www.arigold.com) recording and performing artist, activist and Lower East Side resident
Isle of Klezbos (www.metropolitanklezmer.com)
Josh Zuckerman (www.joshzuckerman.com)
Tongue in Public (www.tongueinpublic.com)
Micia Mosley (http://miciamosely.com)
Anthony Rodriguez (www.myspace.com/anthonyrodriguezmusica)
The Belly Queen belly dancers (www.bellyqueen.com)
The Door, performances by youth artists from The Door.

About Lower East Side Business Improvement District: Established in 1992, the Lower East Side Business Improvement District (LES BID) is a non-profit, economic development organization created to revitalize the Orchard Street shopping district while preserving its unique and diverse character. To learn more about the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, please visit www.lowereastsideny.com.

About Fourth Arts Block: Fourth Arts Block (FAB) is the leadership organization for the East 4th Street Cultural District, working to improve and promote the East Village/LES as the destination for diverse, experimental culture. To learn more about the Fourth Arts Block, please visit www.fabnyc.org.