GAY PRIDE EVENT TO FEATURE FOOD, PERFORMANCES; ORGANIZERS AIM FOR INCLUSION.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

Ventura County's first festival celebrating gay culture will feature singers and performing artists on a main stage, disco and country music dance tents, dozens of food and crafts vendors - even a protest area for religious groups opposed to lesbian and gay lifestyles.

Organizers of Sunday's event, said the celebration is aimed at inclusion rather than exclusion.

``This event is about keeping communities together and for people who maybe have not had an opportunity to see what gay culture is,'' said Paul Waters, who has led the organizing effort. ``Gay culture would be the style of entertainment. Many of the performers and vendors are going to be performing and talking about issues the (gay) community deals with.''

Taking advantage of that invitation will be at least two Simi Valley church groups, though with seemingly different goals than the organizers.

The Sonrise Christian Fellowship has reserved a booth space. Church officials did not return calls to the Daily News. Waters said church officials informed organizers they plan random acts of kindness, such as handing out water or sunscreen, rather than any possibly disruptive demonstrations.

Members of Calvary Baptist Church have said they plan to walk the festival grounds in hopes of talking to people possibly interested in their faith.

``We've never had this in Simi Valley. It's an opportunity,'' said the Rev. Dennis Chapman, who has led the congregation the past 14 years.

``I'm not planning on debating or arguing with anybody. We're not going to be openly disruptive unless somebody openly provokes us,'' he said. ``If I feel I can't do that, then I might take advantage of the protest area.''

The potential conflicts, however, are not a significant concern to either organizers or the Simi Valley Police Department.

Waters said festival volunteers will direct parking and other efforts needed to control a crowd expected to reach 10,000. That attendance would be comparable to the Cajun Creole Music Festival held last weekend on the same grass expanse at the southwest corner of Tapo Canyon Road and Los Angeles Avenue.

The Police Department will assign two or more patrol cars in addition to the normal police presence in that area of Simi Valley, said Sgt. Bob Gardner, a department spokesman.

``We're not expecting any problems,'' he said. ``We will treat it much the same like we treat Simi Valley Days and any of the other community events we have.''

Organizers said there has been a problem with thefts of signs on wooden stakes announcing the festival, and two large banners on the festival site also were stolen this week.

But that won't detract from the festival's main goal of putting Ventura County and Simi Valley on the gay pride map, Waters said.

``I expect the majority of the participants are going to come from Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley, but I expect the draw will be from as far north as San Luis Obispo and as far south as San Diego,'' he said.

Organizers began planning the event last summer in the midst of the annual run of gay pride festivals held across the nation in the months leading to the last Sunday in June. Waters noted that day is significant to the gay community because a police raid on gays in New York City on that date in 1969 galvanized the community to be more politically and socially active.

What makes the Simi Valley gay pride festival unique, Waters said, is that it didn't form around a burgeoning number of gay social or community groups.

``There are loads of gay people in Simi Valley,'' Waters said. ``It's a great place to raise a family, whatever your sexual persuasion.

``Festivals tend to take on the character of the community they are in. What better place to hold a party than in the safest city in the country?''

THE FACTS:

WHAT: Simi Valley Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival.

WHERE: Southwest corner of Tapo Canyon Road and Los Angeles Avenue.

WHEN: Festival opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. Sunday.

COST: $7 for adults, $4 for seniors, teens and the disabled. No charge for children 12 and under.