Philadelphia Coming Out Parade Unveils Line-Up With Giselle Fetterman, Robert Drake, and More

Philadelphia is ready to make history once again. Pride 365: A Program of Galaei will present the inaugural Philadelphia OURfest: National Coming Out Parade and Festival/Resource Fair, the first National Coming Out Parade in the United States. OURfest weekend will kick-off on Friday, October 6th with a OURfest Welcome Party and Parade Preview at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. On Saturday, October 7th, the OURfest National Coming Out Parade will debut from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, stepping off in Historic Philadelphia at 5th and Market to Broad and Arch. On Sunday, October 8th, from 12:00pm to 7:00pm, OURfest National Coming Out Festival and Resource Fair will take over the Gayborhood and Midtown Village with hundreds of vendors, entertainers, artists, restaurants, food trucks and community organizations. OURfest looks to make history as the only parade in the country dedicated and inspired by National Coming Out Day. Grand marshals for the historic event will be Giselle Fetterman, Robert Drake, Celena Morrison, Rue Landau, Jose Demarco and Legendary. Individuals, groups and businesses still interested in joining the parade line-up - or for the festival and resource fair - can visit http://nationalcomingout.org/

Philadelphia is a city of historic firsts - and the organization that broke records in June for “largest Gay Pride march and festival in Philadelphia history” and “largest Gay Pride Flag in Pennsylvania history” is ready to do it all over again. And yes, that 200 foot beautiful all-inclusive rainbow flag will be out and proud once again in the streets of Philadelphia.

After a few years of pride programming being in flux, Galaei, a historic organization serving queer, trans, black, brown, indigenous, and people of color, has taken up the mantle for programming under the banner of Pride 365. This new program provided the Philadelphia Gay Pride March and Festival with new leadership, new stability and a renewed sense of community and purpose. Now, after the pandemic and a three year absence, Galaei's Pride 365 Initiative will bring new life back to National Coming Out Day/Weekend in October - and present a new line-up of events with the new OURfest parade and resource fair/festival.

“We developed Galaei's Pride 365 Initiative to redefine and elevate Pride Month Month in June - and we are excited to do the same thing in October for National Coming Out Day/Weekend,” said Galaei Executive Director and Community Organizer Tyrell Brown (they/them). “Gay Pride and National Coming Out are crucial opportunities for our communities to join together in celebration and reflection, to find family and togetherness, to have access to resources, and to share the love, art and joy that are hallmarks of our community.”

Brown added, "For National Coming Out, we see this is a key opportunity to share and celebrate our collective and individual stories of coming out. The parade allows for our community to experience and enjoy a visual display of how far we've come, to watch a moving and powerful show together, and to take a moment to enjoy the story of our coming out.”

OURFEST WEEKEND

OURfest stands for Our Uniting Resilience and these new events are being created to amplify the resilience of our people, our individual journeys in coming out, and how we hold and take up space everyday. OURfest will launch with three tentpole events during the weekend:

OURfest: Welcome Party, Parade Preview and VIP Reception will take place on Friday, October 6, 2023, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

OURfest: National Coming Out Parade will take place on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, from 5th and Market to Broad and Arch. 

OURfest: National Coming Out Festival will take place on Sunday, October 8, 2023, from 12:00pm to 7:00pm, with resource fair and family zone from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, and last call for mobile bars/food trucks at 6:30pm.

OURFEST: WELCOME PARTY AND PARADE PREVIEW

OURfest: Welcome Party, Parade Preview and VIP Reception will take place on Friday, October 6, 2023, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Tickets are sale now for $50 each to support the weekend events - and tickets include a private exclusive preview of the parade floats, music spinning from DJ Robert Drake, cash bar, and lite bites. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Aramark, Strother Enterprises and Legacy Culinary Group for their support.

OURFEST: NATIONAL COMING OUT PARADE

OURfest: National Coming Out Parade will take place on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, from 5th and Market to Broad and Arch. The parade will feature a mix of curated and designed floats, community organizations and live performances that spotlight the vibrancy of the LGBTQIA+ community in Philadelphia, the suburbs and across America. Look for themed sections to showcase youth and families, sports and recreation, professional leaders, pioneers and grand marshals, arts and culture, drag artists, and other groups. The community cheer section features the record-breaking 200 foot rainbow flag that debuted in June during Pride Month. The final route for the parade is being finalized and will be shared in a future update.

PARADE GRAND MARSHALS

Pride 365: A Program of Galaei is proud to present the inaugural grand marshals for OURfest - Giselle Fetterman, Celena Morrison, Rue Landau, Jose Demarco, Legendary and Robert Drake.

Giselle Fetterman - Wife of Senator John Fetterman and Community Ally

Gisele Barreto Fetterman, the Second Lady of Pennsylvania (or as she prefers, “SLOP”) is a trailblazer in her own right. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Gisele's mother took her and her younger brother to the United States when she was seven, all of them undocumented immigrants. They lived in a one-room apartment in New York City and were teaching themselves English while her mother worked cleaning hotels and houses. After 15 years of living in the shadows, Gisele received her green card in 2004 and became a United States citizen in 2009. Gisele met John after writing a letter to him inquiring about Braddock and the efforts to revitalize the community. In 2008, John and Gisele got married. Together, John and Gisele have been living in Braddock for 13 years and now have three children — Karl, 12, Gracie, 9, and August, 7 — and a rescue dog, Levi. Gisele has devoted her life to helping others, with a focus on nutrition, food equity and meeting Pennsylvanians' basic needs. With just an empty shipping container and an open lot, Gisele opened the Free Store, distributing household goods, baby items and bicycles to those in need. In addition, she co-founded 412 Food Rescue, which sends volunteers to retailers who have surplus food that risks going bad and delivers it to nonprofits that serve the hungry. Gisele also co-founded the nonprofit For Good PGH which drives numerous initiatives on inclusion including “Hello Hijab,” which produces miniature hijabs for dolls, promoting tolerance and diversity. Most recently Gisele founded The Hollander Project, a business incubator for female entrepreneurs. Beyond founding and supporting multiple organizations, Gisele is an unapologetic advocate for marginalized groups, especially the immigrant community as she herself was once a Dreamer. Gisele is passionate about many policy reforms and is particularly outspoken on marijuana legalization and is a medical marijuana patient herself. As an advocate, an activist, and a hugger, Gisele Fetterman is always making a difference in her community with her big heart on full display.

Celena Morrison - Executive Director of Philadelphia City Office of LGBTQ Affairs

Since coming to Philadelphia from North Carolina more than a decade ago, Celena Morrison has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ residents, with a particular focus on the transgender community. Providing support, education, and resources throughout the community is a passion of Morrison's, and she is devoted to making a difference in her community. Her advocacy work is driven by her desire to always be of service. Prior to joining the City, Morrison was the Director of Programs at the William Way LGBT Community Center. She previously served as Community Engagement Specialist at the Mazzoni Center for several years, providing education and support resources for the trans community, and as a Recovery Specialist at Morris Home. Morrison is also a Support Specialist for the P.A.C.T.S. program, a collaboration between CHOP and Mazzoni Center.

Morrison has created and facilitated several workshops for Mazzoni Center's Sisterly L.O.V.E. program. She has also presented at some of the largest U.S. conferences and continues to educate other organizations on how to better engage trans communities and communities of color. Morrison was a Commissioner of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations from 2018 until her appointment as Executive Director of the Office of LGBT Affairs in 2020 and was honored as one of Philadelphia Pride's 2019 Grand Marshalls.

Rue Landau - First Out and Queer LGBTQ City Council Person

Rue Landau started her career as an activist and housing organizer working on the frontlines in the fight for economic justice—demanding access to affordable housing in Kensington and organizing to provide social services during the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic as an active member of ACT UP, Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) and Women's Health Action and Mobilization (WHAM!). For more than a decade after,  Landau   worked as an attorney at Community Legal Services helping thousands of low-income renters in Philadelphia avoid eviction from their affordable housing. She fought and won  lawsuits benefitting thousands of people, many of the city's most vulnerable, poor and high-risk populations. She took on unfair evictions, kept families together, and successfully challenged government bureaucracies, including the Philadelphia Housing Authority and L&I.  Landau  served as the director of both the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations and the Fair Housing Commission, the city's civil rights and housing enforcement agencies. During her 12-year tenure, she transformed the agencies into national models for government and community engagement, social justice, and equitable opportunity. She also oversaw community relations initiatives to combat hate and bias and to bring communities together, to prevent conflict and promote understanding. This work was particularly important, after the 2016 election, when Philadelphia saw a significant rise in hate crimes and bias incidents against communities of color, particularly BIPOC, immigrants and refugees, and the LGBTQ+ community. Landau is married to her wife, Kerry, and together they received the first same-sex marriage license in Pennsylvania, when it became legal on May 20, 2014. They live with their son, a public school student, in Bella Vista – right around the corner from Landau's identical twin sister. Landau is a Committeeperson in the Second Ward. Landau is an active member of the Reconstructionist synagogue Kol Tzedek in West Philadelphia. Landua grew up just outside the city, in Cheltenham, and she's been proud to call Philadelphia her home for 30 years.
 
Jose Demarco - Community Activist

José Luis de Marco is an AfroLatinx queer man who has been living with HIV since 1987.  After the loss of his 20 year life partner, Vernon Beasley to AIDS he was motivated from grief to anger that was motivated by racism, transphobia,  homophobia became a member of ACT UP Philadelphia (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) and has organized there the lasted x few 25 years. He was also b ⁵¹ a board member for HGAP Health Global Access Program, AIDS Policy Project,  GALAEI, and founded the  Proyecto SOL for Latinx. He co-founded Black and Latinx Community Controller. He has worked on dozens of campaigns to improve the quality of the lives of people with HIV. He believes civil obedience is the problem and has been arrested many times resisting draconian policies that perpetuated HIV transmis. Demarco is a proponent of harm reduction and housing campaigns to open safe consumption centers in Philadelphia. Black and Latinx communities are most impacted by overdoses that mirror reflects racial injustice. Demarco has long known that HIV is proof positive of injustice. Racism, poverty, homelessness, adjoint and addiction are generating disproportionate HIV infections in black and latinx communities. Black and Latinx queer and trans communities  must be recognized as leaders and experts of their own lives and lived experience.

Legendary - Content Creator

Popular TikTok personality known primarily for her lip-syncing, dancing, comedy and daily lifestyle videos made with her family posted on her legendary.always account. Due to the popularity of her account, she has amassed over 1.8 million followers and 36 million likes on her profile. Their videos often celebrate the power of family. She posted a June 26, 2020, TikTok that received over 11 million views. A popular video from July of 2022 featured multiple family members dancing, including a newborn baby. It has garnered over 3 million views. In a December 12, 2021 TikTok she featured the song "Exotic" by Lil Baby.

Robert Drake - Legendary DJ and WXPN Host

Born and raised in Philly, Robert Drake has been spinning the new wave sounds when they were NEW wave sounds, working in various underground clubs in Philadelphia during the gritty era of 1981-1990. From off-radar spots like The Love Club to commanding nights at Philly's premier alternative hotspots The Kennel Club, Omni's, and a few special nights at Danceteria in NYC, the Rock of the 80s became his passion. Professionally, he was general manager and co-founder of Au Courant NewsMagazine, Philadelphia's gay arts & culture paper, back in 1982. In 1988, he began a wonderful journey at WXPN, where he have worn dozens of various hats over the past three+ decades including producing Kids Corner, America's longest-running daily radio show for kids. During that same time, he launched a weekly guide to the underbelly of Philadelphia nightlife – called THING – it didn't last long, but led to his role as publisher of Swirl Magazine in 2001. A glossy full-color weekly guide to gay arts/culture in Philly, it just began to take hold in September of that year – sadly, as the psyche of America shifted after 9/11, the advertising dollars dried up and they had to cease operations.

Have no fear! His other love – 80s music – never died! Since 2003, he has shaped Philly's nightlife scene by introducing the new wave genre to a whole new generation of ears with his monthly Sex Dwarf dance party inside the historic Divine Lorraine Hotel, to hosting Land Of The Lost (my 4-hour block of the Rock of the 80s), to welcoming 80s bands as they return to the city for live concerts… it's all about the music!

PARADE PREVIEW

The parade line-up for Saturday, October 6th will include:

OUT in Celebration (Float)
Sponsored by LGBTQ Office of Affairs
- Giselle Fetterman
- Celena Morrison
- Rue Landau
- Jose DeMrco
- Legendary
- Robert Drake

OUT in Sports (Float)
Sponsored by Stonewall Sports
- Stonewall Sports Designees and Surprise Guests

OUT in Community (Float)
- Ms. OURfest
- Mr. OURfest
- Mx. OURfest
- The Fierce and Snatcherella 3000 Family

OUT in Career (Float)
- Martin Alfaro, Associate Publisher, Philly Gay News
- Reverend Jeffrey H. Jordan, Senior Pastor Whosoever Metropolitan Community Church
- Tatyana Woodard, Executive Director of Ark of Safety Safehaven
- Dr. Shanay Rowe, Community Activist, Author and Intersectionality Scholar

OUR in Culture (Float)
- Philadelphia Gay Men's Choir

OUT in Youth (Float)
- Sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters

Large Smile Balloon, carried by Sip City Mixer
Large Flag Balloon, carried by Philly Gay Girls

200 Foot LGBTQ Pride Flag - the Largest in Pennsylvania!

Dykes on Bikes
Truth and Life Empowerment Ministries, Inc.
Courage Medicine MTU
Happy, Joyous and Fabulous
J. Proud - Jewish LGBTQ
Community Sports Teams
Dazzling Stars of Wilmington
Youth Organizations
ERG's and Other Small Businesses
Cheer Philadelphia
Mass Marching Bands
Philadelphia Freedom Band
Mass Spirit Group and Volunteers
The Philadelphians Leather Club

OURFEST: NATIONAL COMING OUT RESOURCE FAIR AND FESTIVAL

Pride 365 and Galaei bring together the city's top LGBTQ+ organizers to produce a dynamic festival - and one of the single largest outdoor festivals of the year in Philadelphia.

After a three year absence, the Gayborhood will come to life again in honor of National Coming Out Day/Weekend. OURfest: National Coming Out Festival will take place on Sunday, October 8, 2023, from 12:00pm to 7:00pm, with resource fair and family zone from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, and last call for mobile bars/food trucks at 6:30pm. The festival will spread out across the Gayborhood from 13th and Walnut down to 13th and Locust, across Locust to 12th, then from there to 12th and Spruce, with other select roads closed around the festival footprint.

This new resource fair and street festival will feature art and music from the community, in a celebration that combines the uniqueness of Philadelphia and showcases the diverse talents of Philadelphia's LGBTQIA family, friends, and neighbors.

The vibrant location of the Gayborhood, the stronghold of Philadelphia's LGBTQ community, provides a historic backdrop for 200+ grassroots organizations, CBO's, nonprofits, artists and makers, entertainers, restaurants and bars, food trucks, vendors and small businesses to provide innovative programming, dynamic structure, community resources, education, food and drink and family fun. The full lineup will include performances, speeches and the awarding of our first annual Mx, Ms, Mr, OURfest 2023.

Within the larger festival, Galaei has worked with community partners to build a variety of fun and vibrant places for everyone.

Youth and Family Programming will be an expansive space curated by several local organizations, including The Attic Youth Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence, Galaei's SPLAT program, Philly Family Pride, and the William Way LGBT Community Center. This space is alcohol and smoke free and will feature age-appropriate and safe youth and family programming to celebrate all generations of Philadelphia Pride. Brown said, “As one of the most forgotten parts of our community our festival places intention around how we care for and make space for queer youth and families.” Look for bounce houses, game trucks, resources, chest feeding and changing stations, and more.

This year's festival continues with unique food and beverage experiences. Sober Vibes will be hosted at Writer's Block Rehab and co-facilitated by Galaei's POP program with a dedicated space for sober folks. This bar will have a menu of mocktails and alcohol free beverages. This is a space that centers around adults who do not drink alcohol, and simultaneously is not geared towards family and children, however, they will be welcome in the space.

Food Truck Market, in partnership with The Food Truck Lady, will bring together some of the East Coast's best and tastiest food trucks and mobile vendors to keep everyone happy and fed while they enjoy the day's celebration. This area will create a buffer between the party goers and youth/sober areas - and offer food and drink at a variety of price points.

In keeping with Galaei's dedication to highlighting Queer and Trans Black and Brown traditions and forms of expression, Galaei is proud to present “Bailar con amor,” an ode to Afro-Latinx heritage art, dance and expression. Kiki Alley will return with a celebration space highlighting the rich culture and history of the Philadelphia ballroom community. This dedicated dance space will be a love letter to everything that is vogue. The Philadelphia Muses Stage will feature a diverse lineup of local performers and producers, including DJ sets by Sway Philly and BOS Philly, plus the presentation of the first Ms, Mx, Mr OURfest 2023, with additional bands, choirs and other entertainers. This will be a stage festival goers will not want to miss!

OURstage will debut with a collaboration of producers and acts that do not have a traditional brick and mortar. This stage will celebrate OUR diverse artistic expressions.

VICE (*18+) will be an ode to Galaei's dearly departed sibling Maso, with a co-produced and curated space for exploration. There will be workshops for kink and consent, resource tabling, and shops to purchase leather and giveaways of safe sex items.

The Decompression Zone, in conjunction with Disability Pride PA, is a space for attendees seeking an accessible, low-sensory respite from festivities. This area will feature comfortable seating, tables, accessible bathrooms, a cooling station, a wheelchair charging station, adult changing station and low-level music.  This provides a space for elders, those living with disabilities, and others seeking rest and relaxation during the event.

Community services will include medical tents for onsite medical needs such as dehydration and minor injuries. These medical services are provided by doctors and nurses from Bebashi and Mazzoni Center.  Therapists for folks who are in mental health crisis or may be over stimulated, individuals trained to administer narcan, security managers, staff to answer all day of questions, Sign language and Spanish interpreters, and de-escalation specialists that will move to any point in the festival grounds or at the bars that they are needed.  

POP Wellness will feature local cbo's to offer a one stop pop up wellness and resource station, linkage to testing, linkage to care and resources via case management opportunities. Attendees will be able to stop by to set an appointment, and speak to a case worker about linkages to resources, such as housing, healthcare, education, and employment.

Corporate Way will be a space for selected vetted businesses that have supported the parade, festival and weekend. This space offers room for tabling, but ensures that the core festival beyond this area is centered around the larger OURfest community.

Please stay tuned for a full list of vendors, food trucks, entertainment times, stage line-ups and more coming the week of the event. For more information on volunteering, participating, or sponsoring the festival, please visit our website, www.nationalcomingout.org or email Pride365@PhillyPride365.org.

Photo Credit: Cody Aldrich

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