Inaugural ‘Pride Lake Oswego’ celebration to bring Poison Waters and festivities to Millennium Plaza Park

Poison Waters is returning to Lake Oswego for the inaugural Pride Lake Oswego celebration.

Hosted by LO for LOve, a local volunteer-run nonprofit, Pride LO is bringing more than 40 vendors and performances to celebrate Pride Month for the first time in Lake Oswego. The event aims to celebrate the LGBTQ2IA+ community through music, festivities and recognition of their contributions and achievements.

“I think it’s important because there are queer people everywhere, so there are queer people in Lake Oswego and so I think it’s important for them to feel welcome and accepted,” said Daniel Hartley, an LO for LOve board member and Lakeridge High School teacher. “I think it’s important for non-queer people in Lake Oswego to have an event like this, where they can go and be like, ‘Oh, queer people are normal.’ It’s a way to build allyship as well, so I think there’s no negative to the event — it’s all positive.”

Pride LO is from 12-4 p.m. on Sunday, June 2 at Millennium Plaza Park. The celebration concludes with a pride flag raising and Pride Month proclamation from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at City Hall with speeches by Mayor Joe Buck and LO for LOve representatives.

Poison Waters will emcee the performances and an hour-long drag show with several of her fellow drag queens. Other performers include the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Lake Oswego’s Snubby J and his RimbaTubes, the Portland Lesbian Choir and DJ Kimere.

“I think it’s going to be an afternoon of celebrating a positive community and looking out for each other and it’s going to be all smiles from 12 to 4 p.m., so people should come out and enjoy the day,” said Hartley.

Pride Lake Oswego was made possible by LO for LOve’s numerous community sponsors including Respond to Racism, Maxem Health and OnPoint Credit Union.

Vendors will include local agencies, organizations, nonprofits, businesses, craft-makers, food and beverages.

For more information on Pride Lake Oswego visit www.pride-lo.org.