Compass presents the annual Palm Beach Pride weekend on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30 from 12 to 6 both days at Bryant Park in Lake Worth.
Palm Beach Pride is the premier LGBTQ+ celebration in Palm Beach County, uniting over 30,000 South Florida and Treasure Coast attendees in a vibrant two-day festival. This dynamic event showcases the resilience, diversity, and progress of the LGBTQ+ community through a parade, live entertainment, and activities for all ages. Supported by over 140 inclusive businesses, Palm Beach Pride is a joyful testament to visibility, equality, and unity.
The Pride Parade takes place on Sunday, March 30, at 11am, and the parade begins on Lake Ave and continues east to Bryant Park (approximately 0.9 miles).
The incredible emcees will keep the stage electrifying, and they are Melissa St John, Velvet Lenore, Rianna Petrone and Ariel Rimm.
Velvet is also going to be the headliner and produce an incredible production, so I thought it appropriate to site down and chat with my friend of over 25 years.
I had to leave my family’s house as they didn’t understand me. So, I moved to Palm Beach when I was 21, I was homeless, sleeping in my car. I would go there on Sundays to play volleyball and eat the free food, and I met Eric Miller, and I started getting involved with benefits for Compass. When they started doing pride I was immediately involved and have done it every year.
You are famous for your productions at Pride. Do you have a favorite one and why?
I always love doing the productions for Palm Beach Pride, but the year I did Lion King and had 40 dancers has to be my favorite year.
You are also famous for having many Lenore kids, how did this happen?
I decided that I didn’t want people to go through what I went through when your family pushes you away. I owe this all to Deja Devinnier, may she rest in peace, as she was the first one I took care of and it was her idea to start the family.
So, how many kids do you have now?
118.
Why do you feel it’s so important to donate your time to Pride and many other events that Compass produces?
I feel like it reminds me of where I came from and how I got to where I am today. They saved me, and I want them to continue to save people.
Tell us about your production this year at Pride?
Basically, I took my favorite songs I loved, and I created routines for them. It includes, Britney Spears, Toni Braxton, Lady Gaga, and we are closing out the show with Show Me Love as that’s my pride song for this year. The show will have many of my children and I promise to excite and please the crowd.
Is there anything else you want to talk about?
Even though Pride is only one day a year I want to remind everyone to respect themselves every day, as Pride should be every day.
Presale Tickets: $10 (good for one day—either Saturday or Sunday), and General Admission: $12 at the gate (good for one day—either Saturday or Sunday); Youth Tickets (18 & under): Free. Pride Pass (Presale Only): $30 Includes two (2) tickets and a limited edition PB Pride crossbody bag (You can use both on the same day if you bring a loved one, or you can split them to go one day each.). Note: Ticket proceeds directly support the services provided by Compass Community Center.
Parking At Pride – Street parking is available throughout the downtown area, with additional paid parking lots nearby. We recommend carpooling or using ridesharing services (Uber or Lyft) due to the large number of attendees and the parade.
For more info email compass@compasslgbtq.com or visit CompassLGBTQ.com/PalmBeachPride
