One of the largest Pride festivals in the country has been canceled hours before it was set to begin and organizers are slamming the city for the decision, saying it sends the “wrong message” at a critical time for the LGBTQ community.
The 42nd annual Long Beach Pride Festival was set to kick off on Friday night, with several day-long events planned on Saturday through Sunday with DJ’s, music, and live performances, drag show, and a ball, per the website. Typically the 3-day-long festival draws up to 80,000 attendees.
In a statement on Friday from the city, officials said that the weekend-long festival — known as the third-largest Pride celebration in the state — was being canceled “as sufficient information to safely permit the event has not been made available by the event organizers.”
It also said that over the last few months, it had worked with the group to safely put on the event.
“Despite continued collaboration and multiple deadline notices, the City did not receive the required documentation needed to complete safety reviews, inspect critical event infrastructure, such as the stage, electrical systems and tent, and emergency exiting plans to ensure compliance with public safety standards.”
“With event programming scheduled to begin today, May 15 at 5 p.m. with Teen Pride and essential information still outstanding, there is no longer sufficient time to safely permit the festival this year,” it added.
The President of Long Beach Pride, Tonya Martin, issued a statement condemning the move by the city.
“Long Beach pride is deeply, deeply disappointed in the city’s decision to cancel the Long Beach Pride Festival. A long standing community event and institution built by volunteers sustained by love and rooted in belief that every person deserves to live openly, safely, and with dignity,” it read.
The group said that for more than four decades they have stood as the symbol of “visibility, resilience, and belonging” for the LGBTQ+ community and said this move by the city comes at a time when the community “is being targeted and made vulnerable.”
“Long Beach should be doing more to protect and uplift us, not taking away one of the most visible and meaningful expressions of inclusion our city has.”
“This decision comes at a moment when LGBTQ+ people are facing escalating attacks from the current federal administration and from political forces across the country,” it added.
The group also said that canceling the festival sends “the wrong message” and tells those in the community “that their safety, visibility, and celebration are negotiable.”
“It undermines decades of volunteer work and community trust. And it weakens the very values Long Beach claims to champion,” it added.
Martin also called on the city leader Mayor Rex Richardson and other city officials to “engage in good faith with Long Beach Pride” to find a “path forward that preserves the festival and protects the community.
Los Angeles county Supervisor Janice Hahn, a sponsor of the event, also expressed her disappointment in a statement to The California Post.
“Long Beach Pride has been a beacon of joy, pride, and acceptance for decades. While I am happy that the Pride parade will go on as planned, I am disappointed that the festival has been canceled.”
The city noted that the annual Long Beach Pride Parade that it hosts is still planned to happen on Sunday.
“The city is proud to fully fund and produce the parade, which continues to be a cornerstone celebration of the LGBTQ+ community,” the statement read.
“The City looks forward to joining residents, visitors and Long Beach Pride along the parade route. Many restaurants, bars and LGBTQ+-affirming businesses in vibrant Downtown Long Beach and along Broadway will also be hosting celebrations throughout the weekend, and the City encourages the community to show their support by visiting them.”
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