Seattle gay pride parade will go on, group says

SEATTLE – The volunteer group that has organized an annual Seattle gay pride celebration since 1975 has changed its mind: It will plan a downtown parade after all and not file for bankruptcy.

The group owes more than $100,000 to the city for holding a weekend-long festival at the Seattle Center last year. Organizers announced Tuesday they would disband and file for bankruptcy. But at a meeting of Seattle Out and Proud that night, the group decided a 2007 event was possible.

“We thought: We can do this; we can make this happen,” said spokesman Troy Campbell, crediting an outpouring of community support as the reason.

The group will still have to pay the Seattle Center debt, but Ruth Bowman, a staff member in the city attorney’s office, said it would investigate every option for payment.

Earlier this year, the city agreed to host this year’s event at the Seattle Center again, if the group paid half the debt upfront and then paid $25,000 every year for two years. Campbell said the group hasn’t found a way to pay the city yet, but payments would be factored into its budget.

The group’s vice president, Weston Sprigg, said Seattle Out and Proud also owes money to vendors.

Campbell said 10 corporate sponsors have already made verbal commitment to support the 2007 event.