Atlanta’s GLBTQ community – and its supporters – will have a busy social calendar with three high profile events taking place this month.
Atlanta Queer Literary Festival
The 4th annual event will take place Oct. 13-16 at venues around the city including Charis Books, Outwrite Books, Auburn Avenue Research Library and Decatur Library. This year’s keynote speakers are poet Ana Božievi and writer and International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights executive director Cary Alan Johnson. The keynote event is Friday, Oct. 15 at the Auburn Avenue Library. Fictiion, non-fiction, poetry will all be represented at various readings and panel events. All events are free. For a complete schedule visit www.atlqueerlitfest.com.
Out on Film
The 23rd season of Atlanta’s Out on Film festival is Oct. 1 – 7 at Landmark Midtown Arts Cinema and the Ansley Park Playhouse. Some of the big films on the schedule included the anticipated Howl, starring James Franco as Allen Ginsburg, and the documentary Quentin Crisp: Final Encore directed by Atlantan Diana Cardea. See the full schedule at www.outonfilm.org
Atlanta Pride Festival
The annual celebration returns to Piedmont Park with a weekend-long festival Oct. 8-10 featuring a weekend of entertainment including performances by Antigone Rising, American Idol’s Kimberly Locke and Niki Harris, Madonna’s sassy back-up dancer and vocalist. The Pride Parade will step off on Sunday at 1 p.m. from the MARTA Civic Center station and proceed up Peachtree before turning onto 10th Street to enter the park. There will also be a market in the park, food, and plenty of parties and side events to make a full weekend. For a full schedule visit atlantapride.org.