Delaware Pride 2012 Headliner Jade Starling

Celebrate Delaware Pride as It Moves to New Castle

After years of hosting the Delaware Pride Festival at Henlopen State Park, the non-profit organization Delaware Pride has moved the fest back to the Wilmington area this year. For this 16th annual event, on Sept. 8, the venue will be Blue Diamond Park in New Castle, Delaware from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

But just because it’s a short drive upstate doesn’t mean that Sussex revelers can’t still participate. CAMP Rehoboth is a Gold sponsor for the 2012 festival, and the planned entertainment line-up and vendors this year are more spectacular than ever.

The Delaware Pride Festival is the single largest LGBTA gathering in Delaware, and it helps give the community needed exposure and recognition. The goal is to promote platforms for expressing diversity and creating a more visible and united LGBTA community.

As Delaware Pride’s 2012 Festival slogan says: Don’t Hate, Don’t Segregate, Just Participate! And this year, it is more important than ever to show up, show our pride and make ourselves known up and down the state of Delaware. (Sorry, no pets allowed.)

Festival emcee Kristina Kelly has been doing drag for 15 years, having won over 70 State, Regional, and Bar titles, plus making the Top 10 at seven National pageants.

She will be on hand to introduce the festival headliner, Jade Starling of Pretty Poison. This Award winning singer/songwriter/multi faceted performer is best known for the #1 platinum hit “Catch Me I’m Falling” on Virgin Records. Along with co-founder, Musician/producer/song writer Whey Cooler, they are the driving force of Pretty Poison. This ground breaking late ‘80s pop band helped pave the way for crossover acts such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Pink. Jade has been increasingly in the public eye of late, appearing on the hit reality show Jerseylicious, and performing their hit single that catapulted them to the top of the charts.

The festival always includes great food and vendors and this year there will be various local and national businesses and local non-profit organizations, plus amazing food and drink.

The festival planners expect more than 3,000 LGBT people and their allies in attendance at Delaware’s largest annual LGBT gathering. And it’s a sure bet that this year, there will be politicians, and their supporters as well.

This years’ festival will open with the Delaware Pride Royal Court Pageant honoring our Mister and Miss Delaware Pride King and Queen 2011 and crowning the 2012 Titleholders. From there, it’s non-stop entertainment, food and merchandise vendors (including CAMP Rehoboth!), t-shirts, jewelry, pottery, books and much more.

Tickets for the festival are $7 (youngsters under 14 free), but can be purchased in advance online for just $5. That link is: .

Delaware Pride, Inc. is dedicated to promoting platforms for expressing diversity and creating a more visible and united LGBTA community. They sponsor and promote cultural, social, educational, and recreational events.

For information, call 302-265-3020. Delaware Pride