Pride Weekend FAQ
FAQ
If you can't find an answer to your question here, don't hesitate to contact us!
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How can I support Norman Pride Weekend?We're glad you asked! Financial support is our #1 request. You can donate online at donorbox.org/normanokpride or mail a check to: Norman Pride PO Box 1655 Norman, OK 73070 We are also requesting in-kind donations! Please visit our donation page for more details and a list of needs.
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How much does it cost?Pride Weekend is a free event! The festival and the parade are free outdoor events, open to the public. The kickoff party on Friday is also free and open to the public.
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Is it all ages?Yes! Norman Pride Weekend is a family-friendly event. Please note: The Festival After-Party is 21+. This is the only event that is not all-ages.
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How can I get involved?We'll have several volunteer opportunities for Pride Weekend and during the weeks leading up to it. If you're interested in helping out, please complete our volunteer interest form.
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Are masks required?We will be following CDC recommendations, which you can find here. We do recommend wearing a mask if you have health conditions that put you at higher risk of complications. If you have tested positive for Covid within 5 days* of Pride Weekend, please stay home and get well! *We will be following CDC guidelines, so please be aware that this information may change between now and Pride Weekend. Check back for updates.
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Can I bring my own alcohol?No, you cannot bring alcohol to the festival or the parade. But local breweries and wineries will be hosting a beer/wine garden at the festival!
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Can I bring my dog?Yes, please! Our events take place outside and are open to the public, including dogs. We do ask that you keep them leashed at all times while attending our events.
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Are the event venues and facilities accessible?Festival: The City of Norman lists Andrews Park among its handicapped accessible facilities. There is accessible parking available in the lots on the south and west sides of the park. Parade: The parade route and spectator areas on Main Street are ADA compliant. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions or if you will need assistance due to a disability. As an organization built on the principles of inclusivity, we are committed to reducing barriers that may prevent anyone from attending our events.
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What if there's another Covid spike?As always, we are keeping a watchful eye on the Covid-19 situation, and as you have witnessed, we will not hesitate to postpone the event if we determine that it is unsafe for our community to gather in large numbers. In the event of cancellation or rescheduling of Pride Weekend due to COVID-19, all vendors and parade participants will have the option to receive a full refund of their registration fee, place a hold on the fee for the rescheduled festival date, or release the fee to Norman Pride as a tax deductible donation to our general fund.
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Where is the festival this year?We'll be at Andrews Park (201 W Daws) in Norman. It's just south of the central Public Library and north of City Hall.
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What are this year's festival hours?The festival is on Saturday, May 4th from 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM. Vendor hours are 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Food trucks hours are 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
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How do I get there?The address for Andrews Park is 201 W Daws St in Norman. DRIVING (from I-35): East on Main St (exit 109). Drive ~2 miles to Webster North on Webster. Drive ~2.5 blocks to Daws Andrews Park is on the NE corner of Daws and Webster. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: EMBARK serves the City of Norman with free scheduled fixed-route bus service. Operates 10 AM to 7 PM on Saturdays. View individual route schedules for precise service details. You can find the EMBARK maps and schedule here.
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Where can guests park?You have several choices. The closest options to the park are: the lots adjacent to the west or south side of the park. Handicapped accessible parking is available in these lots. the lot across the street on Daws (south of the park, by the old library). the library and Legacy Trail parking lot (north of the park) the parking lots south and northeast of City Hall, both on the west side of Santa Fe (please do NOT park in the NPD lot on the east side of Santa Fe) the parking lot on the southwest corner of Webster and Tonhawa street parking is available on several of the surrounding side streets. Signs are posted where parking is prohibited.
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Can I bring lawn chairs?Absolutely! Andrews Park has some wide open green spaces, so bring your picnic blankets, too.
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Can I tip the drag performers?YES! Tipping drag performers is customary. Bring your dollar bills!
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I've never been to a drag show. What should I expect?Expect to have SO much fun! Here are a few things about drag shows that everyone should know: Drag performers work their tails off. Drag is not easy, it's very hard work and very time and labor intensive. With that in mind... It is customary to tip drag performers. Tip often, and tip well! This is how they make money off of their performances. Bring your dollar bills! Drag performances are interactive, but please do not touch our entertainers without their consent. Drag performances are expressions of Queer Joy!
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Will there be live music and other performances?Definitely! We'll have various performing artists on the main stage throughout the day.
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Can I perform at the festival?Yes! You can apply to be a performer for the Norman Pride 2024 Festival Weekend here.
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Do I need to bring cash?Most vendors accept credit/debit cards, but you will need cash to tip our drag performers in the evening! There will be ATMs on site for your convenience.
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I use a wheelchair / have limited mobility. Will there be someone to help me if I need it?Yes! One of our dedicated volunteer positions is providing assistance for guests who may need help getting around the park. If you know that you will require assistance, feel free to contact us to let us know ahead of time. If you find that you need assistance after you've already arrived, anyone with the Norman Pride Board will be able to connect you with the right volunteer.
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What if I get injured or have a medical emergency?There will be Norman Regional Hospital paramedics on site at all times.
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Where's the festival schedule?The full schedule will be posted soon!
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How do I register to be a vendor?Vendor booth registration: normanOKpride.org/vendor Food truck registration: normanOKpride.org/foodtruck
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What are the booth fees this year?2024 Booth fees are as follows: Nonprofits: $50 Artists: $40 Businesses: $150 Food Trucks: $150 Vendors: Booth spaces are 10x10'. Additional space is available at a discount and must be used by the same vendor. You'll have several options to choose from on the registration form. Food trucks: Flat fee. Dimensions will be entered on the registration form. Payment options: Pay online now (PREFERRED). The registration form is integrated with the Square payment platform. You will receive an invoice if you don't pay at the time that you submit your form. Pay online later. You will receive an invoice. Mail a check. You will receive an invoice. **Your booth space will be reserved once payment is received in full.**
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What time is set-up and tear-down?Vendor setup is 7:00 am - 11:00 am. You may arrive any time between 7:00 am and 11:00 am, just make sure you're giving yourself enough time to be ready to greet festival guests by 12:00 pm! Vendor tear-down/load-out is at 7:00 pm. To ensure everyone's safety and enjoyment vendors should plan on leaving their booths set up until 7 pm. Food Truck setup is 8:00 am - 11:00 am. The food truck entrance will not open before 8:00 am. If you arrive before 8:00 am, you will need to find a place nearby to park until then. Food Truck departure is 10:00pm Food vendors will have the option to continue to make sales throughout the finale OR close shop and watch the show.
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Can I leave early?For the safety and enjoyment of all our festival guests and participants, we ask that all vendors remain open for the full day (Vendors: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM and Food Trucks: 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM) and only use the designated setup and tear-down times for transporting items and equipment. Food vendors and the beer garden will remain open until 10pm.
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Can I drive up to my booth space or is this a park-and-carry setup?In order to avoid congestion on the park grounds and to ensure everyone's safety, vendors should expect to carry their setup equipment and items to their assigned spots. Additional details about load-in/out will be sent out as we get closer to the date.
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Will there be someone to help me unload/setup/clean up?Vendors are responsible for bringing their own help for setting up and manning their booths. In order to help keep traffic flowing during check-in and setup, we will have volunteers available by request to help carry items from your vehicle to your booth space. PLEASE NOTE: We cannot guarantee the availability of a volunteer at the time of your arrival, so please allow yourself some extra time in case you need to wait. If at all possible, plan on bringing someone to help. Please also note that this is for load-in only. Volunteers will not be able to help you with setup, tear down, or load-out.
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Where can vendors park?During setup hours, you will be able to pull your vehicle up to the perimeter of the park grounds and unload from there. After setup, the closest options to the park are: the lots adjacent to the west or south side of the park. Handicapped accessible parking is available in these lots. the lot across the street on Daws (south of the park, by the old library). the library and Legacy Trail parking lot (north of the park) the parking lots south and northeast of City Hall, both on the west side of Santa Fe (please do NOT park in the NPD lot on the east side of Santa Fe) the parking lot on the southwest corner of Webster and Tonhawa street parking is available on several of the surrounding side streets. Signs or barriers are posted where parking is prohibited.
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What can I NOT sell?The sale or promotion of any type of weapon or weapon-related item is strictly prohibited. This includes any item, clothing, or printed material that might promote use or ownership of weapons or indicate the endorsement of guns or other weapons by our organization. The sale or promotion of any item or service that contains images or verbiage that is or may be construed as hate speech. Violations of the above will result in immediate termination of vendor contract without refund. Also keep in mind: The sale of alcohol is prohibited except by Norman-based breweries/wineries at our beer & wine garden. Marijuana sales are prohibited. CBD products are allowed.
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Can I sell alcohol?We are no longer accepting applications for our 2023 Festival Beer Garden. Thank you! Only Norman-based breweries and wineries can sell alcohol at the Norman Pride Festival. If you are a Norman-based brewery or winery, please contact us to join our Beer & Wine Garden vendors.
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Can you provide electricity if I need it?We're asking vendors to bring generators if they need electricity. Please indicate on the registration form whether you will be using a generator, as it will determine your booth placement.
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Do you have a vendor policy?We sure do! These are the same rules & regulations that every vendor agrees to at the time of registration. Please share it with your entire group and ensure that everyone understands and can follow it. Consider printing a copy for reference. Click here to view the festival vendor policy. Click here to view the food truck/vendor policy.
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Do you provide tents, tables, or chairs?Unfortunately, no. We are a small nonprofit and do not have the funds to provide these items. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to provide this in the future.
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Do I get a refund if I cancel?Only cancellations made on or before two weeks before the festival date will receive a full refund of their registration fee. All cancellations must be made in writing via email. No refunds for day-of cancellations or no-shows.
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Where is the parade and what time does it start?The parade will take place on Sunday, May 5th in Downtown Norman at 7:00 PM! The best place to watch is on Main Street between the train tracks / Jones Ave and Crawford Ave. Get there early for a good spot! If you are marching/rolling in the parade, you will need to arrive between 5:30 PM - 6:00 pm and check in at the corner of Crawford Ave and Comanche St. Sign up on our website at normanokpride.org/parade
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What is the parade route?The procession starts on Jones and Main Street (at the train tracks), then east on Main, south on Crawford, and west on Comanche to Jones.
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How do I register for the parade?Visit normanOKpride.org/parade
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Will there be prizes?You bet! Our award categories this year are: Most Colorful Most Creative Most Energetic Best Overall
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Do you have a parade policy?We sure do! These are the same rules & regulations that every parade participant agrees to at the time of registration. Please share it with your entire group and ensure that everyone understands and can follow it. Click here to view the pdf.
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Do I get a refund if I cancel?Only cancellations made on or before two weeks before the festival date will receive a full refund of their registration fee. All cancellations must be made in writing via email. No refunds for day-of cancellations or no-shows.
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How can I find out about sponsorship opportunities?You can view our sponsorship opportunities here!
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Can I be a sponsor if I don't have a business or organization?Yes! Please contact us about your options.
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What will my sponsorship pay for / go toward?Sponsorships cover expenses like facility and equipment rental, event insurance, security, entertainment booking fees, permits, marketing/promotion, festival shirts, etc. Our current anticipated expenses are around $40,000. We truly cannot pull this off without sponsors like you!
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Can I sponsor a specific item or expense?Absolutely! We have multiple sponsorship areas available. Please email info@normanokpride.org.
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What if I just want to donate or my organization doesn't offer sponsorships?You can visit normanOKpride.org/donate to view all our donation options, or if you want to skip straight to an online monetary donation, go to donorbox.org/normanokpride
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Do I have to pay extra for a booth or for a spot in the parade?All sponsorships get a complimentary parade entry. All sponsorships get a vendor booth in the sponsor section of the park. There's a space on the sponsorship registration form to describe your booth details so we can determine the best placement.
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Is the vendor booth policy the same for sponsors?Yes. We work with sponsors to customize their festival booths, so there may be an occasional exception or modification to the usual rules and regulations.
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Is a sponsorship the same as a donation?While both options provide the same kind of support for us, there are differences between the two. Sponsorships: Allow us to publicly recognize your contribution and support. Allow us to actively promote your organization or business. Provide advertising/publicity. Are not tax deductible. Donations: Allow us to publicly thank you for your contribution and support. Do not allow us to actively promote your business or organization. Are tax deductible. A donation receipt should say "no goods or services were received in exchange for this donation."
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Do you provide tents, tables, or chairs?Unfortunately, no. We are a small nonprofit and do not have the funds to provide these items. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to provide this in the future.
NORMAN PRIDE WEEKEND
CODE OF CONDUCT
Norman Pride Weekend is a welcoming place to come together with friends, family, and loved ones to celebrate and uplift the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. Our code of conduct is designed to ensure the parade and festival is a safe and accepting space for everyone and that everyone is treated with courtesy and respect.
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Pride Weekend is a celebration recognizing the past struggles and future possibilities of the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. All participants and guests are expected to embrace and respect this.
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Pride Weekend is a safe space. We will not tolerate any threatening, violent, harassing, or offensive behavior against its volunteers, staff, artists, performers, parade participants, festival and parade guests, security personnel, or members of the public.
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Norman Pride celebrates diversity and inclusion and will not tolerate hate speech or derogatory remarks about a person's race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, size, wardrobe, physical ability, economic status, and/or religious beliefs.
Violations of the code of conduct will result in removal from the premises via security or police escort and, depending on the severity and nature of the offense, possible legal action.