Long Beach Pride postpones LGBTQ celebration and parade

Long Beach Pride Postponed

Participants in the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade have a gay old time marching along Ocean Boulevard May 20, 2018. Photo: Stephen Carr / StephenCarrPhotography.com

LONG BEACH — Long Beach Pride is postponed “out of an abundance” related to concerns about the novel coronavirus.

Long Beach Pride, the nonprofit that hosts and runs the annual LGBTQ festival and parade, made its decision after meeting with city officials, according to a statement released Saturday.

“It is with an abundance of caution that the Long Beach Pride Board has decided to postpone the 2020 Festival and Parade,” Denise Newman, president of Long Beach Pride, said in the statement.

“Our commitment to the city of Long Beach and our entire community includes ensuring the health and well-being of citizens, attendees, artists, volunteers, staff, and vendors. We look forward to celebrating with our amazing LGBTQ+ and ally family, neighbors and friends at a later date, and encourage everyone to celebrate their Pride each and every day.”

Long Beach Pride Festival was scheduled to take place May 16 and 17 along Shoreline Drive in downtown Long Beach. The Long Beach Pride Parade was scheduled for May 17 along Ocean Boulevard. Early bird tickets for the event had already sold out.

Long Beach Pride’s decision to postpone its event follows on the heels of LA Pride postponing its 50th anniversary celebration.

LA Pride postponed it’s celebration after the City of West Hollywood said all city-related events scheduled through June 30 are postponed or canceled.

Earlier this week, Long Beach Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis signed a declaration prohibiting all large-scale events in the city. The declaration went into effect Thursday and will expire April 30, unless Davis takes action to shorten or expand the order.

About the author

Phillip Zonkel

Award-winning journalist Phillip Zonkel spent 17 years at Long Beach's Press-Telegram, where he was the first reporter in the paper's history to have a beat covering the city's vibrant LGBTQ. He also created and ran the popular and innovative LGBTQ news blog, Out in the 562.

He won two awards and received a nomination for his reporting on the local LGBTQ community, including a two-part investigation that exposed anti-gay bullying of local high school students and the school districts' failure to implement state mandated protections for LGBTQ students.

Share This

Share this post with your friends!