Davis Pride Festival draws biggest crowd ever
June 07, 2023
(From press release) The Davis Phoenix Coalition presented its biggest Davis Pride Festival to date, with its inclusive celebration for members and supporters of the LGBTQ+ community. An organizer estimated that more than 5,000 came to Central Park for Sunday’s ninth-annual event.
It was part of a community-focused, family-friendly weekend that included a skate night, fun run, music festival, drag queens, vendors and more – June 3 and 4. A handful of quiet protesters attended the drag show and took video. The crowd and drag queens started interacting with the protesters, who left before displaying the banners and posters they intended to raise.
Those in Davis will notice the rainbow crosswalks around Davis’ Central Park, which were painted on May 28. Those set the celebratory tone for Skate with Pride on Saturday night, Run for Equality on Sunday morning, and the Davis Pride Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The fair included music, a drag queen revue, educational booths, food, drink, and vendors coordinated with the assistance of Davis Craft and Vintage Market. There were even special activity zones for youths, teens and seniors.
On June 23, there’s a Ride with Pride bike party excursion, with participants meeting at Central Park at 6 p.m. and leaving about 30 minutes later. Businesses interested in hosting local pride events, to raise money for and promote Davis Pride, may learn more at https://www.davispride.org/host.
Davis Pride events are coordinated by an all-volunteer community formed by the Davis Phoenix Coalition, a nonprofit that works to foster diversity, eliminate intolerance, prevent hate-motivated violence, and support LGBTQ+ youths in Davis and surrounding communities. The coalition was founded in the aftermath of a 2013 anti-gay attack on former Davis resident “Mikey” Partida. Proceeds from Davis Pride events support the coalition’s anti-racism and anti-bullying campaigns, help LGBTQ+ youths and their families, and provide outreach with area police departments, churches and schools. To donate, go to https://davisphoenixco.org/donate.
I am happy to read about the all-time high turnout at the 2023 Davis Pride Festival.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 07, 2023 at 09:13 AM
"A handful of quiet protesters attended the drag show and took video. The crowd and drag queens started interacting with the protesters, who left before displaying the banners and posters they intended to raise."
Thank you for reporting this -- I'd been wondering what happened after all the conflict leading up to this in City Council meetings and the local press. Can anyone describe further the nature of the "interacting" between the crowd/drag-queens and the protestors. I'd love to hear from both sides their perspective of the interaction.
Posted by: Alan C. Miller | June 07, 2023 at 10:35 AM
#crickets#
Posted by: Alan C. Miller | June 07, 2023 at 03:13 PM
Outdoor events aren't my thing, so I did not go.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 07, 2023 at 03:34 PM
#crickets#
Posted by: Alan C. Miller | June 08, 2023 at 07:57 AM
#crickets#
Posted by: Alan C. Miller | June 16, 2023 at 09:26 AM
The lack of comments by anyone other than Alan and me demonstrates how few people actually visit this site.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 01:46 AM
As your spiritual home, the Vanguard, will tell you, the number of comments is not reflective of the number of hits.
In particular, this is such a hot issue that many do not want to weigh in.
FWIW, I am very happy that the event went off without a hitch. I am not a huge fan of the Phoenix Coalition because of the way it has gotten entangled with city government, but I fully support the LGBTQ+ community, Pride month, etc. and the clips and pictures I have seen showed a very positive and affirming event.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 08:33 AM
Well, what are the number of hits on this site Roberta? I found out that the Davis Vanguard existed long before this site.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 08:44 AM
The interface shows hits but doesn't make it easy to count them unless I do that one by one, which I am not inclined to do for a person who seems to mainly be here to be antagonistic (witness your behavior on Alan's posts). You can stew in your antagonisms and your opinions as you wish. I write to clarify for others, not for you.
Yes, the VG was first. This site is different. We're not seeking to "compete" with the VG. We don't run ads and we don't take in any money. Any. This is not my job or anyone's job. It's meant to be a community site where people post as they have things to say, or say nothing (rather than, e.g., repeating themselves over and over). And unlike the VG, we don't allow doxing or personal attacks, a rule that you felt you had to test out (again, on Alan's posts).
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 08:53 AM
Averaging less than 1 post, excluding comments, is not a great way to drive web traffic. You have an exceedingly small number of recent contributors (posters) here. You have your own small club. BTW, both Keith Olson and Ron Oertel are antagonistic with their comments on the Davis Vanguard. You probably wouldn't know, since you have stopped visiting that site.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 09:03 AM
We get whatever traffic we get. Nothing lost. We’re not trying to get traffic, not trying to “get clicks.” People read as they find it valuable. If you don’t, you know where the door is.
I do read the VG comments (not usually the articles) and see that Ron is still regularly doxxed and attacked. Ron and Keith do not, for the most part, do the same. Definitely not to the same degree.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 09:10 AM
Another difference between the Vanguard vs. the Davisite is that the Vanguard seeks to "stir the pot", while the Davisite does not.
The Vanguard by its very nature attracts attention due to its focus on "manufactured controversy". For better or worse, that tends to attract more attention and dissent. (I like to think of it as the "Fox News of the Left", but one which has adopted development views of the "Right".)
Posted by: Ron O | June 18, 2023 at 09:20 AM
Merely pointing out which community one currently resides in isn't doxxing. This definitely is an unsuccessful attempt at doxxing by Ron. I am not a public figure like Governor Newsom.
"Also, there is a residential address which appears to be just outside of Davis city limits in a house worth almost $1.5 million. Some sources state that you currently live there, while other sources show that it is a former address."
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 10:34 AM
I am posting your comment, Walter, because it is about you and you can reveal what you like about yourself. I want to be clear, however, that I will not be posting any comments about where anyone lives or anything else about them personally, especially since Ron has repeatedly said that he does not want this information publicly stated.
This site is here to discuss issues, not to make comments about the other commenters. If you have an issue to discuss about the Pride Festival, then this is a place for it. If you don't have anything to say about it, then please find something else to do on this gorgeous day.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 10:43 AM
There are 2 reasons I began commenting here.
1. I could no longer stand the derogatory comments posted here about David and the Davis Vanguard site in general.
2. I wanted to make sure neither Ron or anyone else tried to doxx me ever again.
Most sites drive their web traffic by being at least a bit controversial. If expressing personal opinions and reporting the news is manufacturing controversy, so be it. Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, Axios, The Verge and Engadget as well as hundreds of other sites do likwise. 👍
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 10:54 AM
Alan Pryor posted Ron's city of residence on the Vanguard. I didn't. Just saying. You are always free to moderate/censor any of my comments.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 10:58 AM
Walter, I won't let you be doxxed here. And I won't let Ron be doxxed here either.
Again, we are not trying to earn profits by clicks, so not trying to be controversial. If we post things that are controversial, it's because the author's view is controversial, nothing more.
Today's media is in a sad state, with headlines that often mislead and exaggerate the real article. I don't think very highly of any of the sites you mention. I wish we had more publicly funded, independent news sites.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 11:05 AM
Democracy Now! is an example of a site that I do like and which does not post things just to be inflammatory. It is a genuine non-profit that is fully supported by donations and features real journalists like Amy Goodman and Juan González.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 11:08 AM
Most people think news should be completely free. Witness the demise of newspapers and magazines. Only a few paywalled news sites exist because of that belief. I stopped paying for news online and in print several years ago.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 11:20 AM
"Alan Pryor posted Ron's city of residence on the Vanguard. I didn't."
Neither of those statements are accurate.
But again, if those (such as Walter or Richard McCann) were actually concerned about city of residence, they'd be piping up every time someone like Don Shor or Matt Williams made a comment. They'd also be pointing out the irony of someone like Don Gibson being appointed to a city commission, as well as the local "YIMBY" professor who acknowledges living in S.F. (and commuting to UCD).
Posted by: Ron O | June 18, 2023 at 12:07 PM
I stopped paying for news online and in print several years ago.
Well, aren't you principled. I pay for several, including Democracy Now!, WTFJHT (look it up), and the Guardian. Locally, I subscribe to the Davis Enterprise (and have since I moved here in 2007) and the SF Chronicle.
Journalism is a profession, or at least it should be, and good journalists deserve to be paid for their work.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 12:14 PM
And how could I forget? I used to donate regularly to the VG too, for quite a while. Then I was repeatedly doxxed and attacked. Greenwald acknowledged the problem but refused to ban the person, even has he has banned others. So yes, I wanted a place where I could exchange views with other community members without being attacked.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 01:05 PM
"Alan Pryor posted Ron's city of residence on the Vanguard. I didn't."
"Neither of those statements are accurate."
They absolutely are Ron. I didn't know where you currently live Ron until Alan Pryor commented as such. Alan was attempting to defend you, but in the process spilled the beans. You may have overlooked Alan's comment. I have no clue where Don Shor or Matt Williams resides. I don't care about Don Gibson since he doesn't comment on either site. It's just like you to bring up something that has nothing to do with the subjects at hand as if it makes a significant difference.
If you believe that the Vanguard manufacturers controversy, why do both Keith Olson and you add to said controversy? If you didn't want to add to the controversy, both of you would very seldom comment there. Instead you are the most frequent commenter on the Vanguard over the past several months. I think Keith and I are roughly tied for 2nd place.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 02:37 PM
They absolutely are Ron. I didn't know where you currently live Ron until Alan Pryor commented as such. Alan was attempting to defend you, but in the process spilled the beans. You may have overlooked Alan's comment.
I didn't overlook Alan P's comment, but he did not discuss where I live. I did ask him to remove that comment regardless.
Alan P posted that comment in response to Richard McCann's and your repeated comments in the first place. That's what he was "defending me against", as you put it.
I have no clue where Don Shor or Matt Williams resides.
Neither of them live in Davis.
I don't care about Don Gibson since he doesn't comment on either site.
He commented within the past week or two on the Vanguard, and was appointed to a city commission.
It's just like you to bring up something that has nothing to do with the subjects at hand as if it makes a significant difference.
I'm not the one bringing it up repeatedly. You are, as does Richard McCann. You started up with this as a result of McCann, not Alan Pryor. My comment regarding YOUR residence was only made AFTER you started repeating what McCann said.
And I never did say that you currently live at that residence. Look at the comment you're quoting (above), if you don't believe that. Strangely-enough, it's a comment that YOU have repeated multiple times, by now. And by the way, it is an ACCURATE statement.
If you believe that the Vanguard manufacturers controversy, why do both Keith Olson and you add to said controversy? If you didn't want to add to the controversy, both of you would very seldom comment there.
I did not say that I am not participating in the controversy. If those opposed to the Vanguard never commented, it would be an echo chamber. (It's already pretty much that way.)
Instead you are the most frequent commenter on the Vanguard over the past several months. I think Keith and I are roughly tied for 2nd place.
Could be. Is there a "contest" going on?
In any case, I suspect that you're the #1 commenter in Al's Corner - primarily consisting of complaints about it.
Honestly, I don't know why you "pick fights" with people. I try to avoid this, and focus on the issues. It seems like you're more-interested in fighting, than presenting logical arguments.
Posted by: Ron O | June 18, 2023 at 03:17 PM
Your comments sometimes defy logic.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 04:59 PM
I stand up for what I believe in. BTW, you do likewise. You seem rather thin-skinned too.
Posted by: Walter Shwe | June 18, 2023 at 05:04 PM
"You seem rather thin-skinned too."
I assume you're referring to the commenter who made the following statement, above:
"There are 2 reasons I began commenting here.
1. I could no longer stand the derogatory comments posted here about David and the Davis Vanguard site in general.
2. I wanted to make sure neither Ron or anyone else tried to doxx me ever again."
Posted by: Ron O | June 18, 2023 at 06:07 PM
Do you see the pointlessness of comments that have nothing to do with the issue at hand and are only directed at the other commenter? Now we’re arguing over who is more thin skinned. Please cease and desist, because things typically only go downhill from here.
Posted by: Roberta L. Millstein | June 18, 2023 at 06:47 PM
Back to my question on the pride festival:
I'd been wondering what happened after all the conflict leading up to this in City Council meetings and the local press. Can anyone describe further the nature of the "interacting" between the crowd/drag-queens and the protestors. I'd love to hear from both sides their perspective of the interaction.
Posted by: Alan C. Miller | June 18, 2023 at 07:32 PM
I'd love to hear from both sides their perspective of the interaction.
It went like this, with the two groups each presenting their arguments:
Side 1: "You're denying our existence, and causing children to commit suicide".
Side 2: "You're indoctrinating our children, ultimately causing our children to mutilate their own bodies."
Then, the two groups came together and had a meeting of the minds, in which they both acknowledged concerns that are obvious to anyone else. Kumbaya, and all that.
The end.
And they lived happily ever after.
Posted by: Ron O | June 18, 2023 at 07:58 PM
"My comment regarding YOUR residence was only made AFTER you started repeating what McCann said. "
That's also my memory that Walter consistently posted about what city Ron lived in long before Ron commented on Walter's residency.
So Walter, it rings hallow for you to complain about Ron when you first piled on.
Over and Out. Perfect Score.
Posted by: Keith | June 19, 2023 at 07:41 AM