After much community feedback, Long Beach Pride will be held on the third week of May next year—the time it had been celebrated for more than three decades before the COVID-19 pademic hit.
After a two-year COVID-induced hiatus, the beloved event returned in 2022, but it was scheduled for August, to the dismay of many. To celebrate it’s 40th anniversary this year, it was also scheduled in August.
Many have complained that late summer was too hot to host a large-scale outdoor parade and festival. Others pointed out that an August celebration trailed most other Pride events around the state that kick of in June.
But after the community spoke up at a recent town hall, the annual celebration will return to its roots next year. The two-day celebration is set for May 18 and 19, 2024.
“I’m excited, everyone’s excited to have our traditional Pride weekend back,” said Jewels, a prominant drag queen and figure in Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ community.
Reception from Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ community has overall been “phenomenal,” said Tonya Martin, the newly installed president of Long Beach Pride.
Martin added that they plan to downsize “a little bit” for 2024 festivities downtown at the Marina Green Park. She added that Long Beach Pride is looking to work more closely with the community and any suggestions residents have to better the event.
“It’s going to be one of the greatest events we’ve had in a long time,” said Martin. “In this time and environment, more than ever, we need to come together.”