April 17, 2015
Larry Lyons/Brick City Varsity
Attendees at the Philly Black Pride Weekend Festival.
The 16th Annual Philly Black Pride/Penn Relays Weekend Festival will be held April 22-26. The event's lengthy name belies its totally packed schedule. For all five days the black LGBTQ community will come together for open mic nights, social receptions, parties and more.
The celebration begins Wednesday with a monologue showcase at the Rittenhouse Ethical Society of Philadelphia presented by the Mazzoni Center and the #A1PHA Project, which celebrates young black gay voices of Philadelphia. The same night an open mic will bring spoken word artists together for a competition hosted by the #TagTeam.
The third Annual Society LIGHTS reception is the official kick-off for the festival and will be held April 23 at Miss Tootsie's. A VIP check-in will go down Friday night at the festival's host hotel, Home2. Complimentary cocktails and gifts will be available for guests. The Diary of a Legend Mini Ball Deluxe is also Friday night. The night of live entertainment will take place at the First District Plaza at 8 p.m.
A Gentleman's Brunch and a Ladies Luncheon at Smokin' Betty's and Miss Tootsie's, respectively, will brighten up Saturday with networking and yummy food. The networking continues at Social Sunday, a reception at the Kimmel Center outdoor terrace. Recording artist Dawn Richard, of Diddy-Dirty Money and Danity Kane fame, will provide the celebrity touch to the evening.
Nighttime events by Simply Christopher, The Phim and Pleasure2015 round out the weekend's events. Be sure to make yourself a reservation at official Philly Black Pride events or add yourself to the waitlist, as the case may be. Spots are going fast.
