Long Beach Pride 2019: Guide to parade, festival, road closures

LONG BEACH — Come out, come out, wherever you are.

Long Beach will be a little more gay this weekend with Long Beach Pride.

The 36th Annual Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival and Parade will take place Saturday and Sunday along the downtown waterfront.

Long Beach Pride

It’s the city’s second largest attended event with more than 80,000 people expected. More than 40,000 revelers are estimated to show up at the parade on Ocean Boulevard to cheer and show support for the participants.

• What’s the history of the parade? One of the Pride board members had to wear a bulletproof vest, and the city — which has a strong anti-gay track record — did everything it could to squash the parade. Click on the story below to learn more and get a “Queer History Lesson with Jewels.”

Long Beach Pride Parade, Festival history includes bulletproof vest

• Wondering what bars to visit during Pride? Check out our guide to Long Beach gay bars. Yes the video is from 2018, but the information is still accurate.
• To avoid traffic and parking issues, taking public transportation to the festival or parade is encouraged. The Blue Line improvements have closed travel south from the Compton station to Long Beach, but shuttle service is available.

Long Beach Pride 2019: 50th anniversary of Stonewall Riots is festival, parade theme

Here’s what you need to know:

Long Beach Pride Festival

• The Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Shoreline Drive between Shoreline Village Drive and Alamitos Avenue at Marina Green and Rainbow Lagoon parks.
• Big Feedia will headline the festival on Sunday.
• Here’s what will be happening at the Latin stage Saturday and Sunday.
• Advance tickets are $20 online and $25 at the gate for each day.
• Children under age 12 are free, but must be accompanied by an adult.
• Children under 12 will not be allowed at the festival after 5:30 p.m.
• Senior citizens over 65 as well as veterans and active military with identification receive free admission.
• Seniors have expanded space at this year’s festival.

Long Beach Pride Parade

• The parade will step off at 10:30 a.m. Sunday on Ocean Boulevard at Lindero Avenue and march west to Alamitos Avenue.
• Here are the parade grand marshals.
• Brad William Henke from “Orange Is the New Black” will ride in the parade.

Festival rules

• No re-entry
• No distribution of pamphlets, flyers, or handbills
• No solicitations
• No beverage containers allowed into the festival.
• No pets, only service animals will be allowed.
• No folding chairs, bikes, skates, rollerblades, or skateboards.
• Anyone under the age of 21 found drinking alcohol will immediately be evicted from the festival.

Festival road closures

• Shoreline Drive westbound between Alamitos Avenue and Shoreline Village Drive will close 10 a.m. Thursday
• Shoreline Drive eastbound between Shoreline Village Drive and Alamitos Avenue will close 7 p.m. Thursday
• Shoreline Drive will re-open 10 a.m. May 20

Parade route road closures

• Ocean Boulevard between Redondo and Cherry avenues from 5 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Ocean Boulevard between Cherry and Atlantic avenues from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Temple, Molino, Kennebec, and Junipero between Ocean Boulevard and First Street 5 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• All side streets from Lindero to Alamitos avenues from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Alamitos Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and First Street, Lime Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Medio Street, and  Medio Street between Alamitos and Lime avenues from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.