The day started off overcast but warm and muggy as is usual for all Nashville PrideFest years prior to this one.  The parade was well received on its new route through the park. We had Mr & Miss Pride 2007, Damien Paine and Ariana La’Moir, the Tennessee Vals and Mr. NYC 2007 as well as many more including Hersband and Wife and Husband and Himwife traveling in the same vehicle. The hundreds of onlookers waved, yelled “Happy Pride” and snapped photos and video of the event while being very excited to get the PrideFest started.

Everyone was having a wonderful time enjoying the entertainment and perusing the booths provided by all the great vendors. The PrideFest regulars were there. There were the long lines of people waiting to spin the wheel for prizes and people waiting to get their Tribe Tatto’s to show their Pride. The auto makers were well represented with the fancy new cars that sat around the main stage just waiting for someone to check them out.

The food vendors were also in attendance with food such as Ben & Jerry’s and the Gyro vendor as well as the Lemonade stand that had the best lemonade this duo has ever tasted!

Martha Wash preformed to an electric crowd of onlookers singing along with her.

The sounds coming from both the main stage and the side stage were wonderful all day and kept the crowd fully entertained for what was to be a great day in the park.

The kids’ zone was filled with children most of the day playing and having a wonderful time just being free without any judgment. This year even the furbabies we have had a place to play and hang out thanks to Petco.

All at once a storm blew in, a storm to rival the wrath of Jerry Fallwell. It came with no warning and only a prediction from the weather forecasters of 20% chance of rain.

Husband and Himwife were running for the Out & About Newspaper tent while Hersband and Wife ran for the convertible Mustang that held them in the parade route. (Yes. The top was still down!)

The convertible was parked on the west side of the Parthenon and was quite a walk from the Out & About Newspaper booth. On the way to the car the rain started coming in sheets and it started to get colder. By the time the car was reached, the storm took its wrath. Hersband opened up the car door only to be tossed into the car by the intense wind and Wife landed on top of her. The car door slammed shut onto Hersbands leg and ankle and both women were pelted with golf ball size hail. While onlookers from the Parthenon steps saw the winds take shape.

There was another pregnant woman with three young children in tow trying to reach the Parthenon steps and she was tossed down to the ground breaking her glasses and gaining a few scrapes herself. Many other people sustained injuries as well. H&W turned to run for the Parthenon with Wife yelling “RUN TORNADO!”

When they reached the steps and were under cover they noticed two men inside the Parthenon behind the glass doors, not only watching the events unfold but also holding the doors shut. Now mind you there were pregnant women, young children, elderly and then the rest of us that all needed shelter from this storm. For what ever reason, we were not allowed in. Maybe it was because we were all wet, hadn’t paid our admission price or other various reasons.

Many vendors lost everything that they were selling on this day because the wind had ripped through their tents and taken their items with it. There were even cars that had trees tossed on them and windshields broken.

Once the rains settled a bit we did notice one thing about everyone outside of that building. Not only were they taking care of themselves but they were caring for perfect strangers. Helping people to their cars, carrying children they did not know to awaiting cars that held their parent. We as GLBTQ and Heteroflexable people once again showed how we are one great big giant rainbow family that needs not be put down, criticized or shunned as we do have a heart, and we do care about all people when the going gets tough.

Isn’t this the essence of what PrideFest is all about?  No Judgment; People helping others when they need it; And above all acceptance of everyone. Nashville, we are proud to say that we are in this community that cares not only for its own but for others as well.

Hersband and Wife
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Check out our pride week video if you wish, see if you can see yourself.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2034404554