community
BIG BEAR PRIDE OH, MY! IT’S A MONSTER MASH
by cutter slagle
Okay, so you’ve been celebrating Pride season for months now... but don’t put that rainbow flag away just yet! The soles of that favorite pair of stilettos may even
be worn, torn and completely “marched out” and you may finally think you’re ready to give up those rock-hard abs you’ve been killing yourself all winter long for, just to indulge in a pumpkin-spiced… well, a pumpkin-spiced anything. Before you do anything too drastic however,
answer yourself this question: Do you have just a little more pride left in you? Here’s hoping so, because Pride season is far from
over! In fact, for the Big Bear region, it’s just getting started! Big Bear will be celebrating its first ever Pride event this month andThe Rage Monthly had the opportunity to learn all of the details surrounding it! Interestingly enough, and highly appropriate
considering the time of year, Big Bear will kick off its initial Pride celebration with a Halloween-themed, fun-filled weekend. Promoters dubbed the weekend as “Big Bear Pride Monster Mash,” with plenty of exciting entertainment to go around. Particularly, the weekend will commence the night
ofFriday, September 21 with aMonster Mash at Scare Valley Farms. Attendees can look forward to a skin-crawling gay ride, slaughterhouse, queen scream contest, hay romp, dancing with DJ OBSCR, a cash bar and beef tacos and plenty more to give everyone a few chills and thrills. Quite simply, this will
be a great night to remember under the stars! Following on Saturday, September 22 the fun continues throughout the day and evening with Oktoberfest, withThe Cave (The Stones Tribute) glow golf and a pirate ship cruise. Being the first Pride event
in the area, this is an amazing, groundbreaking time for locals, many of whom identify as or support the LGBTQ community. Further, Big Bear Vacations, the promoter, is gay-owned with a very diverse workforce. Establishing this event and bringing it to fruition has been a dream come true for all parties involved. Big Bear Pride started as and continues to be a passion project, organizers believe it’s both important and necessary to celebrate the LGBTQ community, specifically for those LGBTQ members or allies who call Big Bear “home.” Though pulling off a successful Pride event can be difficult, the community is hopeful that this initial celebration in the area will only be the first of many to come—a starting point if you will— laying the groundwork for future Prides in the area. Besides, as any queer worth their diamond-encrusted crown very well knows and will admittedly tell you... one has to start somewhere. It’s more than obvious from the flyer too, the
planned events at Big Bear Pride will differ significantly from other Prides in the state, specifically those in Los Angeles and San Diego, and that’s more than okay... In a sense, it’s refresh- ing. While it’s often great to have a “go big or go home” mentality, how many crowded, over-the-top celebrations can one person be expected to dress for? Big Bear Pride is a shiny example of what it means to return to basics, to celebrate the area’s natural wonders, its
local culture and embrace your neighbors, despite any differences. If you think about it, that’s what Pride is or should
be all about and as they say, “bigger isn’t always better!” The chance of running into a celebrity at Big Bear Pride may be slimmer than an Olsen twin, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an enormous amount of fun to be had, and for the whole family. That’s what Big Bear Pride aims to be: a place where everyone no matter age, race, sexual preference or gender identification can feel safe, welcome and comfort- able in his or her own skin.
Big Bear Pride is organized by Big Bear Vacations, a proudly gay-owned and operated business. The weekend of events takes place Friday, September 21 through Sunday, September 23. For tickets and more information, call 855.797.2869 or go to
bigbearvacations.com/pride.
SEPTEMBER 2018 | RAGE monthly 17
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