In 2022, Miami Beach Pride is returning to its April cadence and is yet another sign that the “new normal” we’ve all come to embrace over the last two years has some elements of the past while also looking to the future. While the two-day festival and parade held in Lummus Park has long been a staple of celebration and easily falling into the not-to-be missed category, there are new elements of Miami Beach Pride that point to an organization who is clearly keeping their finger on the pulse of the culture.
Signaling to the community that visibility from a festival and parade remain critically important for the public and the sponsors willing to commit funds to show support, Miami Beach Pride has opened up new channels to foster discourse for the future and honor those who came before. The inaugural social justice evening in 2021 proved to be wildly popular with a variety of panels discussing real issues affecting the community and that continues into 2022. With the forthcoming “Don’t Say Gay” bill on the minds of many Floridians, the evening is squarely focused on the topic with voices from the community as well as from FIU and UM on the matter. In a more intimate venue, it’s a chance to have a dialogue about a piece of legislation that is nearly sure to pass.
To honor those who have come before, the Legacy Couples will be coming into the foreground in a way like never before. Typically, the couples are honored in the parade but this year the public will get to know their stories in a very unique exhibition hosted at the Art Deco Museum on Miami Beach. Having an oral and visual history of relationships that cumulatively add up to more than 400 years of LGBT love shines a light on the heartbreak and triumph these couples have faced. The video vignettes that will be playing in each station also house an object that is representative of their relationship. Each one is unique much like our couples and will be at the museum through the end of May!
Miami Beach Pride also continues to honor ball culture and will be hosting the Legends Ball for the second year in a row in a new venue even better equipped to allow the houses to shine! With a plethora of talented performers from several houses in South Florida, having a dedicated event for them in conjunction with Pride is a unique chance for more people to share in an art form that has been the basis for so much of queer culture.
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Beyond honoring the different threads that weave the rich tapestry of our community, Miami Beach Pride is also bringing back the Queer Art Showcase in which local artists show and sell their latest works. With two difficult years that more disproportionately affected the LGBT community financially, the organization felt strongly that an element of the week-long festivities should more overtly financially benefit the community. By hosting a platform that encourages artist exposure and sales, Miami Beach Pride hopes to not only support the community with inclusive programming but ways to shine a light on the varied work from talented artists in a variety of mediums.
The Pride Festival is Saturday and Sunday, April 9 & 10 starting at 12pm and the Parade is Sunday April 10th at 12pm. With a full slate of programming that has something for everyone, don’t delay in visiting miamibeachpride.com to organize the week, kicking off on April 1st!
Miami Beach Pride brings together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, their friends, allies, and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTQ+ community.
It is their mission to envision, plan and execute a roster of events and activities that are as diverse as the community itself, including activations centering on entertainment, events, arts, culture and civic and social engagement.
Miami Beach Gay Pride, Inc /Miami Beach Pride Festival & Parade 2022 is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. They are also supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
