Pride Full

Do you yearn for a Pride festival where you won't recognize every third person? Are you apprehensive about going to Loring Park this June 28 because you dread running into the former lover you so assiduously avoid the rest of the year? Even if you're merely curious how le anniversaire du Stonewall is celebrated worldwide, the Internet is the place to go for details about the planet's various GLBT Pride fests. And since many locales (particularly smaller cities) hold their Pride on dates other than the last weekend in June, it's also possible to attend the celebrations here and then head off elsewhere for a double dose of Pride.

The website for Chicago Pride (equitrends.net/pride98) greets you at its homepage with an electronic version of the Village People's "YMCA." Dig deeper here and you'll get the inside scoop on the Windy City's Pride weekend, as well as general information, restaurant recommendations, and a list of summertime activities in Chi-town.

Have you and your friends always wanted to walk through Milwaukee dressed like Laverne and Shirley? Make all your dreams come true in late August at Milwaukee's PrideFest '98. First, pay a visit to the PrideFest site (www.PrideFest.com) for basic information and a thoughtful history of previous Pride celebrations in Milwaukee.

You've got to appreciate a Pride march that passes by a Royal Palace. In the international category, the sixth annual continent-wide EuroPride will be held in Stockholm in late July. "Nine days of culture, debate, music and fun" is how the official site (www.europride98.se) summarizes the activities, which range from a Tom of Finland party to the Stockholm Gay Film Festival. Minnesota may have lots of Swedes, but we don't have the scenery.

For a one-stop-shopping list of worldwide Pride celebrations, surf on over to the global calendar at the International Association of Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators site (www.interpride.org). Find links here to other sites describing Pride festivities from Atlanta to Zurich. Then again, if there's no place like home for you, turn to the Twin Cities GLBT Pride site (www.tcpride.com) or get a preview of Capital City Pride (members.aol.com/stpaulprd).