It’s time for Long Beach Pride.
The timing might seem a little off because for more than 35 years, it was scheduled in late May, and this year it takes place in August.
In any event, we have prepared you for the big weekend. Articles have been posted about the dangerous and dark early years of the festival and parade as well as everything you need to know about this year’s event.
Long Beach Pride: Details about festival, parade, road closures
For the latest news-you-can-use piece, we went into the Q Voice News vault.
Long Beach’s Jewels, the only drag queen with a key to the city, gives us her survival guide to Long Beach Pride.
- Wear plenty of sunscreen. Protect your skin. “Nobody wants to look like your mom’s old leather purse,” Jewels said.
- Wear comfortable shoes. “For pride weekend, you will be spending hours on your feet, dancing for your life and waiting in line,” Jewels said. “Appropriate shoes are a must.”
- Don’t drive to the festival or parade. Parking in Long Beach is always a challenge, but this weekend will be insane. Take transit, walk or ride your bike. “Nothing is less fashionable than driving around for hours looking for parking,” she said.
- Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Drink plenty of fluids, not just cocktails. A good rule of thumb is a bottle of water for each drink. “Drink lots of water,” she said. “You don’t want to fall over.”
- Have an extra battery for your cell phone or have it fully charged. If you’re not using your cell phone, keep it in airplane mode to conserve the battery. “That way,” Jewels said, “you kind find that cute trick later after the main shenanigans.”