PrideFest's rainbow of revelry

NEPA PrideFest Sun., Aug. 14, 1-7 p.m., Kirby Park, Wilkes-Barre. $5 adults, $3 students w/ ID. Info: gaynepa.com; find Jade Starling on Facebook.

by Nikki M. Mascali
Weekender Editor

There’s a simple reason Jade Starling loves to perform at gay-friendly events.

“My gay fans have followed me up and down through my whole career, and I so appreciate that,” the singer shared recently from her home in New Jersey. “It’s something you don’t forget, so I always want to give back to the community as best I can, as often as I can.”

With Pretty Poison, Starling reached the Top 10 in 1987 with “Catch Me (I’m Falling),” but even more long lasting than that catchy tune, has been Starling’s seemingly tireless advocacy for gay rights. Her latest way of showing support to the gay community is being among this year’s performers at the fourth annual NEPA PrideFest, held Sunday, Aug. 14 from 1-7 p.m. at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre.

Other festival entertainment includes a drag show, local bands M80 and Pop Rox and DJ sets sponsored by the 12 Penny Saloon and Twist, which was also instrumental in securing Starling’s participation.

“Jade has been, since the ’80s, a staunch advocate for gay rights back before it was the cool thing to do,” said John Dawe, executive director of the NEPA Rainbow Alliance, the organization that presents PrideFest. “These days, you find performers like Lady Gaga and Beyonce who are all very supportive, but if you look back to the ’80s, and you look at Jade Starling and the work that she has done then and since, you’d be hard-pressed to find many performers who have been doing the advocacy thing for this long.”

Starling said she does as many events, both gay and straight, as possible, but she finds that “doing any gay event is always a great time. They always receive me so well, and the love is always there — and the love has always been unconditional.”

It’s a love that seems to not have waned much within the community, especially considering the reception to her new song, “8 Daze” which Starling said was first spun at Twist, where she will perform for the third time Sunday night following PrideFest.

“8 Daze is a song that I can play and keep the floor jumping, or I can play it to get the floor jumping,” said Twist DJ Nik Hughes. “Jade is just one of those artists that can transcend the age barriers, especially having a career that has spun longer than most of her new fans have been alive for, while keeping those of us dancing that were there in the days of Pretty Poison.”

The single is from Pretty Poison’s new album, “Captive,” which will drop Nov. 11. Starling will be joined on stage at PrideFest by her bandmate Whey Cooler, and the group will do a tour next year in support of the album.

Despite its heavy lineup of fun entertainment, there’s much more to PrideFest. Aside from food and product vendors, “the biggest piece of this is it brings nearly 30 vendors together,” Dawe said. “These organizations can talk to members of the community, get their feedback and learn what their needs are and what services do exist that don’t really get publicized that well.”

Organizations include Domestic Violence Service Center, which will discuss its programs about same-sex domestic violence, educational institutions showcasing their acceptance on campus, corporations talking about hiring practices and trying to recruit new team members and “a whole bunch of churches that are going to be there showing their support — not all churches are antigay,” Dawe said, “so that’s a big contingent.”

Since its inception, PrideFest attendance has increased steadily, and because of that, for the second year in a row, the event will have a $5 cover. Dawe said it was very easy to underwrite the costs of insurance, entertainment, tents, bathrooms, security and fencing to keep protesters out when the festival had 500-1,000 people showing up.

“We have a bunch of fairly loyal sponsors who have on a consistent basis come through for us,” he explained, “but as we have grown and this year expect 2,500-3,000 people, the cost of throwing a party for 3,000 people is not something that our sponsors will carry.”