The Second Annual Hialeah Pride presented by AIDS Healthcare Foundation will once again take place at Historic Hialeah Park on Sunday, October 13. In the inaugural year Hialeah Pride brought in close to 6,000 attendees and is expected to double numbers in 2019. This year’s theme is “One Love” as Hialeah Pride wants to continue to move the LGBTQI+ community forward and bring everyone together no matter what letter you identify with, including allies, under one big celebration.
This year is headlined by Latino heartthrob Julio Iglesias, Jr. with direct support from in demand top DJ/Producer and Hialeah Pride Founder Citizen Jane, National Influencer, Singer/Songwriter and Transgender Advocate Jaimie Wilson, Jessenia, Reggeaton Artist Nohemy, La Voz Kids and American Idol Artist Vanessa Wong. There will also be support from local South Florida Acts to be showcased from the beginning to the end making it a Musical Festival within Pride.
I contacted former Hotspots cover model, and Trans activist, Jaimie Wilson to ask if he and his girlfriend were excited to be performing at Hialeah pride and he said:
“Yes, we are so excited, as this will be both of our very first times going to Hialeah. You can expect unreleased music performances…songs that no one’s heard yet, and of course expect to feel the love and rainbows that pride brings.”
This year’s Hialeah Pride Padrino is legendary Producer, Multiple Grammy Award Winner and Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Desmond Child, who has strong ties to the community being raised in South Florida. Childs has written and produced the biggest hits, and his roster includes Bon Jovi, Cher, Zedd, Joan Jetts & The Backhearts, Ricky Martin, Aerosmith, Katy Perry , Michael Bolton, Christina Aguilera, Sia, and Barbara Streisand just to name a few. Beloved Latin Media Personality Enrique Santos from TU 94.9 who was Hialeah Pride’s 2018 Padrino will also return to host the Mainstage and present Childs with this year’s Padrino honor.
Once again there will be the Health Zone where attendees can be tested for HIV by Festival presenting sponsor AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s mobile unit, get blood glucose testing, blood pressure testing, connect with various medical professionals from local medical providers for everyday health to IVF, get options for affordable healthcare and new this year, Hialeah Pride teamed up with Borinquen Health Care centers to offer the Lynn Bove Women’s Health Initiative (named in memory of the local Miami women’s events promotor who lost her battle to Ovarian Cancer last April).
There will also be the Food Truck Zone in where attendees can get delicious food from around the world. The Vendor Zone is where you can get specialty LGBTQ attire, jewelry, connect with local community organizations and brand activations. In Addition, there is a Family Zone, and Heat Nation by Kidfest Zone sponsors The Miami Heat with several fun interactive activations.
The Hialeah Fire Department will also be returning with their interactive Fire Truck so get ready to dress up and strike a pose in Fire Fighter gear! The Senior Zone for the most seasoned Festival Goer will include Lambda Living and AARP to give seniors information on living a better senior life.
New to Hialeah Pride this year is the Youth Space Zone being hosted by The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth that serve, nurture and empower Miami-Dade County GLBTQ youth. The Alliance for GLBTQ has been chosen to benefit and will be awarded a 2020 Hialeah Pride College Scholarship that is granted through Hialeah Pride nonprofit Future Bright Minds. The Youth Space Zone is geared towards youth between 12-20 years of age where it will be a Pride within a Pride just for them with DJ’s, Workshops, College information, local teen performers, drag queen workshops, a photo booth and so much more. Larrea and Citizen Jane said “The youth to us are incredibly important as they are our future and they will remember who looked out for them and who was there to help guide and invest in them.”
The mission of Hialeah Pride is to award low income High School LGBTQI+ Seniors in the Dade and Broward County Public School System college scholarships with the first scholarship always guaranteed to a Hialeah Public School System Student.
Hialeah Pride is also excited to announce that they will be hosting a same sex marriage ceremony on the Main Stage. While marriage ceremonies are nothing new at Pride events this ceremony will be taking place in Hialeah, the Nation’s 4th most conservative city, making this event even more significant for the South Florida’s LGBTQI+ community. The Hialeah Pride Committee team will choose a couple from the local South Florida community who will take their vows and be married in front of thousands of their community “Family” members. The couple will be gifted a 3-night luxurious romantic honeymoon in Key West that includes sparkling wine, chocolate covered strawberries, daily breakfast and afternoon cocktail hour from Alexanders Guesthouse an upscale LGBTQI only resort. They will also be gifted wedding bands. The ceremony will be officiated by Miami Dade County Judge David Young.
This year Hialeah Pride Founders Karen Larrea and Citizen Jane will continue to push boundaries further and continue to break barriers for equality for the local LGBTQI+ community”.
Hialeah pride is free, but there is a limited number of VIP tickets available at hialeahpride.com.