Get a little Pride in your Fourth of July!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!

Well, technically I guess it's "Happy Independence from England" day, but Happy Birthday sounds so much better.

America enjoys showing off it's Independence as well as showing off it's Gay Pride and there's no better way to do that than going to a Parade, especially one that has the Lakeside Pride Freedom Band marching in it.

This Saturday at 2:00 pm, The Lakeside Pride Freedom Band will step off with other participants in the Evanston 4th of July Parade.

Lakeside Pride is a musical organization that is committed to the education of the public at large about the positive aspects of the metropolitan Chicago lesbian and gay community; through public musical performances, workshops and non-musical events.  They provide an awesome forum where adult musicians have the opportunity to meet and improve their skills by playing in various ensembles.  The best part about all of this is that they provide great music to the community along the way.

In it's 11th year, the award-winning Lakeside Pride Freedom Band, under the direction of Christy Zurcher, entertains over 500,000 people in parade and pep-band events in the Chicago area and across the Midwest each summer. This year the Freedom Band has performed with the Chicago Force, in the Chicago Memorial Day Parade, the first annual Northwest Indiana Pride Parade, the Cleveland Pride Parade, the Chicago Pride Parade, and can be seen this coming holiday weekend in the Evanston July 4th parade. The parade steps off at 2pm from Central Park Ave and proceeds down Central Street in Evanston to Ashland Ave.

Director Christy Zurcher holds a degree in Music Theory and Psychology from Lake Forest College. Her formal musical training began with piano at age six, followed later by voice, clarinet, and saxophone lessons. In addition to directing the Freedom Band, Ms. Zurcher served as assistant conductor of the Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band for two years, and recently directed Team Band during the Opening Ceremonies of Gay Games VII. She has arranged for and directed Artemis Singers, Chicago's Lesbian Feminist Chorus, and can periodically be seen around Chicago with Radical Nuances, an all female ensemble performing folk, jazz, blues, classical, and original works.

If you're at the Evanston 4th of July Parade, make sure to put your hands together and give a big round of applause for the Lakeside Pride Freedom Band when they march on by - and if you're interested in joining the band, check out their website at www.lakesidepride.org