SEATTLE — The scorching weather is not stopping crowds from celebrating Pride weekend in Seattle.
Businesses are welcoming back customers, and while the parade is canceled, there are a handful of in-person events to mark the occasion.
“It's going to be the busiest weekend since the pandemic started,” said Greg Scheaffer, co-owner of Union, a bar on Capitol Hill.
Union has an outdoor bar with no masking or distancing requirements for fully vaccinated customers.
“It's giving them the space to actually feel rewarded for doing their due diligence,” Scheaffer said.
The weekend also marks the return of some in-person events, like the dedication of the new Aids Memorial Pathway, near Cal Anderson Park.
“It was really important for us to do something over Pride weekend because of the connection that this memorial has to the LGBTQ community,” said Jason Plourde, project manager.
The memorial will be dedicated at noon on the plaza at the Capitol Hill light rail station at East Denny Way and Nagle Place.
“I think this past year of COVID has really made this memorial even more relevant. It was already important to have, but now people have the understanding of the lessons that were learned during the early years of HIV and AIDS, what people were experiencing, how people were motivated to act,” Plourde said.
This could also be the hottest pride ever.
“It's really important to take care of each other, and it's a time to celebrate Pride, but do it smart,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan.
“Look out for each other if you're there, minimize the time you're in the direct sunlight, make sure that you're drinking lots of non-alcoholic beverages and water,” she said.
Scheaffer said he didn’t think the triple-digit forecast would dampen the Pride party at Union.
“It might be a little bit busier in the evening when the sun sets but I think people are going to be loving it,” he said.
If it's too hot to celebrate this weekend, just wait for the fall. The official in-person Pride celebration is postponed to October.
"While it will be of smaller scale than a parade or festival, it will provide a much-needed boost of queer solidarity and energy," organizers said.