Toledo Pride 101:

Want the full scoop on Saturday’s Toledo Pride Parade & Festival?  You’ve come to the right place.  Below you’ll find everything you need to know.

Toledo Pride Parade

Toledo Pride kicks of with the 2nd Annual Toledo Pride Parade at on Saturday, August 11.  The parade will step off from the corner of Jefferson Ave. and St. Clair St. at 12:00 p.m.  It will head west on Jefferson Ave. and take a right on Huron St.  From Huron St, the parade will take a right on Adams St., before leading everyone to one of our 3 main entrances at Adams and St. Clair. 

Parade participants will need to check in with Parade Coordinator Torie Thorne starting at 10:00 a.m.  Vehicles should enter the line-up via Jefferson Ave. and Summit Street, as roads will be closed due to the parade and festival.

The grand marshals for the 2012 Toledo Pride Parade are Toledo Mayor Michael Bell and Jennifer Tyrrell.  This summer, Mayor Bell signed legislation extending health benefits to the domestic partners of city employees, making Toledo one of the top 3 LGBT-friendly cities in the state, according to data from EqualityOhio.  Jennifer Tyrrell was fired from her volunteer position as her son’s Den Leader because she is gay! Since then she started a change.org petition, partnered with GLAAD, and has been traveling the country telling her story and urging the Boy Scouts of America to lift their ban on LGBT scouts and leaders. Since April, her petition has garnered more than 325,000 signatures including celebrities such as Josh Hutcherson, Diana Agron, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Joshua Jackson and many more. You can join her in ending this discriminating policy by going to change.org/scouts and adding your name. You can also sign at Jen’s booth here at our event.

Click here for a map of the parade route, list of participating organizations and more.

Toledo Pride Festival

There will be 3 main entrances to Toledo Pride this year located at the corner of Jefferson Ave. & St. Clair St., the corner of Adams St. and St. Clair St., and on Summit St. next to the Toledo Edison building. Admission is $5 before 7pm, $7 after 7pm and free for guests under the age of 12.  After 10:00 p.m., Toledo Pride will be limited to guests age 18 and over.

Public parking is plentiful around Levis Square, however with 8-10,000 guests expected and a Toledo Mud Hens game starting nearby at 7:00 p.m., getting there early is recommended.  Parking at city meters (extremely limited) is free on Saturdays.  We do not have control over any parking areas or rates, however the two ParkSmart garages adjacent to the Jefferson Ave. and Adams St. entrances will be offering $5 parking.  Click here for a map of other nearby parking locations.

Support Marriage Equality In Ohio

Following the Toledo Pride Parade, we are pleased to be partnering with Support Marriage Equality in Ohio to hold a commitment ceremony for 10 wonderful couples.  The ceremony will begin at 1:10 p.m. and parade grand marshall Jennifer Tyrrell will speak.  Following the ceremony, the couples and their guests will be escorted to a special area in Levis Square for a private reception.

Community Connections

From 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Levis Square will be filled with over 70 vendors and community organizations as part of our Community Connections event.  There will be a wide variety of LGBT-friendly social organizations, merchandise vendors, food vendors, religious organizations and more.  It’s a great way to get in touch with wonderful, supportive members of the local community.  Remember, since Toledo Pride is an outdoor event, bring cash.  Credit/debit card acceptance will vary from vendor to vendor and is not guaranteed.

Live Entertainment

We have a great lineup of entertainers planned for Toledo Pride 2012!  The evening will be headlined by Spearz, a Minneapolis-based, all-male Britney Spears cover band.   A great rock band, they put their own twist on some of Britney’s most-beloved songs.  Earlier this year, they opened for Kelly Rowland at Minneapolis’ Twin Cities Pride.  We’re also pleased to have Mystique Summers as our special guest for the evening Drag Finale.  Mystique was a contestant on Season 2 of Logo TV’s series “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

Skylight Financial Main Stage Schedule

• 12:40-1:10            Amanda Rice (acoustic/indie)
• 1:10-1:40              Support Marriage Equality in Ohio Ceremony
• 1:40-1:50              Amanda Rice (acoustic/indie)
• 1:55-2:00              Drag Performance – Priscilla
• 2:10-2:50              The Rivets (rock/pop)
• 3:00-3:05              Drag Performance – Leyomie Asia
• 3:15-3:50              Master TC (pop/electronic/rock)
• 4:00-4:05              Drag Performance – Aja Ajari
• 4:15-4:55              Christopher Norman (electronic/techno)
• 5:00-5:05              Drag Performance – MaKayla Sinclaire Styles
• 5:10-6:00              Wideband Network (electronic/dance)
• 6:15-7:15              Arctic Clam (rock/pop)
• 7:30-8:25              Kenneth Thomas (house/progressive)
• 8:45-9:50              Spearz (all-male Britney Spears cover band)

The evening will wrap-up with our Fabulous Drag Finale, featuring Mystique Summers along with all of your favorite area performers!  Entertainers include:

• Mystique Summers
• Amber Stone
• Brook Lockhart
• Blake Shooter
• Patricia Holt
• Tequila Mockingbird
• London Asia
• Justin Case
• Felaciana Thunderpussy
• Chanel
• Bois w/ Outskirts
• Jameson Brooks
• Deja Dellataro

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@toledopride.com or contact the appropriate committee chairperson.

• Nite Glo 5K – Justin Viegel
• Volunteers – Brent Rabie
• Parade – Torie Thorne
• Community Connection & Vendors – Sherry Tripepi
• Food Vendors – Emily Hickey
• Sponsors - Emily Hickey
• Entertainment – Casey Clark
• Marketing – Kelly Heuss