Stonewall Pride 2021 is on!
The annual parade and street festival — canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic — has been given the green light by city and county officials to take place as planned on Saturday, June 19.
“This is great news for South Florida’s LGBTQ+ community and especially for Wilton Manors,” said Jeff Sterling, CEO of WMEG Community Marketing and Events which organizes the annual celebration.
“This will be the first Pride in South Florida in 2021, so we are putting safety protocols in place that will allow people to come out and celebrate together with a great outdoor event,” Sterling said.
The Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival typically attracts 35,000 spectators and has a direct economic impact of more than a million dollars for the City of Wilton Manors, according to an independent study.
Plans this year call for the street festival with music and vendors to begin at 3 p.m. followed by a parade at 7 p.m. when temperatures fall. The one-day event ends at 11 p.m.
“We are appealing to corporations and businesses to support this important event and show community spirit by becoming a sponsor, entering the parade, buying a booth and/or advertising in the official Stonewall guide,” said Sterling, pointing to the expenses involved in staging an event of this kind. “Many people don’t understand that public safety comes at a cost — more than $50,000 just for police and medical services,” he said. “As a non-profit, we fund Stonewall Pride mostly by sponsorships and donations — both of which we need a lot more of this year,” he said.
Stonewall recognizes the 1969 riot that took place at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, which was raided by police. The event triggered the gay rights movement.
“Stonewall Pride is a reminder of the struggle for acceptance and equality by LGBTQ+ people and a celebration of who we are and how far we have come,” he said.
“It’s an important message at this time of healing in our nation.”
- Visit stonewallpride.lgbt for sponsorship and vendor information or call Jamie Forsythe at (754) 200-1641.
