This past weekend has been a very busy but successful one for SLPS! Things kicked off on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 7pm with the Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition’s Interfaith service at Wasatch Presbyterian church. SLPS adviser April love read the “Who is Pagan” remark, quoting the Charge of the Star Goddess by Ann Moura and President Muad’Dib gave a five minute discussion that all people are deserving of unconditional love, all are divine, and that everyone can have a one-on-one with the divine. The Salt Lake Men’s Choir sang and faith leaders from Native American, Pagan, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Metaphysical, Tibetan and Zen Buddhist and Christian faiths were present, with the pews full to the brim. Many hearts were full as Moudi Sbeity spoke about the Marriage fight in Utah as it began with him and two other couples who sued the state for equal rights.
Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 2pm was an interfaith rally that joined with the Dyke and Trans rallys and marches down from 200 S and 200 E to the festival at Washington Square at the Salt Lake City and County Building. 3pm brought the start of readings for $5. Lei Loni Tilley and Janelle Baguley joined SLPS in full mermaid attire. Lei Loni read the cards at the booth entrance, drawing in all the mermaid/mermen to be! The close of the day came at 9pm when the sun set and SLPS headed off to have a late dinner of Pakistani food at Zaika on State street.
Sunday, June 8, 2014 was the Pride parade at 10am. Lined up at 400 S and 400 E in the back with the interfaith, SLPS marched in robes and pointy hats, with The Mermaids of the Great Salt Lake. President Muad’Dib sported a new custom rainbow outfit made by Woman Between the Wolves. The parade finished around 12pm and the readings continued, picking up an even greater pace of people the second day till the festival closed at 7pm.
The festival was very successful for SLPS, making back the booth fee and having enough to spend on a celebratory dinner at the Rio Grande Cafe and give some back to the tarot readers. Here is to next year’s pride!
Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 13th Annual Interfaith Service, faith leaders preparing to enter l to r- Liz Paige (Congregation Kol Ami), Gage Church (Congregational United Church of Christ), Patty Willis (South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society), Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Thursday, June 5, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 13th Annual Interfaith Service, Salt Lake Men’s Choir in back, L to R faith leaders at Podium: Mark D. Trujillo (Community of Christ), Liz Paige (Congregation Kol Ami), Gage Church (Congregational United Church of Christ), Patty Willis (South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society), Woman Between the Wolves (Salt Lake Pagan Society), Carl Tasso (Tribal Elder Winnebago/South Cheynne-Araphao), Shareen Kayyali and Fawad Sadiq Alhoushani (Al-Frah Islamic Society), Barry Kessler (Urgyen Samten Ling Tibetan Buddhist Temple), Mahan Singh Khalsa (Sikh Leader), Christine Swientek (Inner Light Center), Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Thursday, June 5, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 13th Annual Interfaith Service, Woman Between the Wolves (l) and Muad’Dib, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Thursday, June 5, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 13th Annual Interfaith Service, Muad’Dib speaking at podium for “Who is Pagan”, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Thursday, June 5, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 13th Annual Interfaith Service, l to r-Maureen Duffy-Boose (1732 Tradition Witchcraft), Patty Willis (South Valley Unitarian Universalist), Muad’Dib (middle, rainbow wizard) and Anna Zumwalt (far right, Zen Buddhist), Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Thursday, June 5, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Interfaith March 2014, Muad’Dib (middle) and Lunar Oak Spirit with anti-gay protester, First United Methodist Church, Saturday, June 7, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival 2014, Transgender March marching east on 200 S to 200 E, Saturday, June 7, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival 2014, Dyke March 200 S 200 E, Saturday, June 7, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith March 200 S 200 E, Saturday, June 7, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Lunar Oak Spirit (l) and Muad’Dib in combined Dyke, Trans, and Interfaith marches, Saturday, June 7, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival, West side, Washington Square, Saturday, June 7, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival, looking north as MerQueen Lei Loni Tilley reads for a client, Washington Square, Saturday, June 7, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, before the parade in back 400 S 400 E , Willow Figueroa (l) and Janelle Baguley (r), Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, L to r- Kyler Guerra, Lunar Oak Spirit, Willow Figueroa, Shy Fox, Muad’Dib, Janelle Baguley, Woman Between the Wolves, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, Drag Queen Precious (yellow feathers) on The Sun Trapp Bar float, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, Rainbow Wizard Muad’Dib as the wizard at the end of the rainbow, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, Grannies for Gays, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival 2014 Parade, The Sun Trapp float on 400 E heading to 300 S, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, protesters at 200 S and 400 E, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, 200 S facing west, on 400 E, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, SLPS turning onto 200 S from 400 E, l to r- Shy Fox, Kyler Guerra, Willow Figueroa, Janelle Baguely, Woman Between the Wolves, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival Parade 2014, Parade marching west along 200 S, Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Pride Festival 2014, SLPS booth with Piggy (center green), Sunday, June 8, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT