When the non-profit Christopher Street West put on the planet’s first-ever permitted parade advocating for gay rights in June of 1970, it was just a year after the police raid of Greenwich Village gay bar the Stonewall Inn, which led to days of escalating violence, protests, riots, and the beginnings of the gay liberation movement. You may very well not have been around back then, but you can imagine that the country was a very different place, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. Pride events now take place around the world to help raise awareness about equality and inclusion, because while times have changed, they still haven’t changed enough. The result is an over-the-top fun and fabulous festival -- filled with parties, parades, music, revelry and rides -- to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community along with its friends and supporters. Everyone (and we mean everyone) is welcome.
All of June is LGBT Pride month in LA, and thus you can expect a roster of activities and festivals throughout the city. (Santa Monica is hosting its first-ever SaMo Pride fest this year and Van Nuys hosts Valley Pride at the end of the month.) Then there are the endless freebies, discounts and themed products -- from edibles to ice cream -- businesses are rolling out, many donating a portion of proceeds to LGBT non-profits. Of course, the granddaddy of them all is still the LA Pride Festival in West Hollywood, a big old bash taking place this weekend with live music, dancing bars, food vendors, carnival rides, and more, all capped off with the mega party/parade on Sunday. Plus, this year the organizers are also throwing in a Pride on the Boulevard block party that’s free to the public. Here’s everything you need to know to get in on the Pride party and parade.
Where and when is this year’s LA Pride Festival?
The 2019 LA Pride Festival takes place from 12pm to 1am both Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9 at West Hollywood Park along San Vicente Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.
Who will be performing?
There’s a new layout this year with two stages: Park Stage and Plaza Stage. This year’s headliners include bass-focused Meghan Trainor (Saturday night at 11pm on the Park Stage), and British electronic pop trio Years and Years (Sunday evening at 9:30pm on Park Stage) along with a with a bevy of other acts over the two days including Ashanti, Christian Castro, Amara La Negra, DeJ Loaf, Greyson Chance, MNEK, Pabllo Vittar, and Ah-Mer-Ah-Su. Get the full live music lineup and schedule here.
Do I need a ticket?
Yes. Early bird tix are sold out, but you can still buy advance tickets for $30 for a single day or $50 for both Saturday and Sunday via EventBrite. If you really want to go big, splurge on a VIP Backstage Experience pass ($250 for one day or $450 for two), which will get you access to a special VIP entrance, access to a backstage experience, some free food and drinks, and entrance to a VIP parade viewing party at Palihouse.
What about the block party?
Dubbed Pride on the Boulevard, the block party is free and open to the public, taking place from 12pm to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday along Santa Monica Boulevard between Robertson Boulevard and Hancock Avenue. Expect an array of LGBTQ+ musical acts including pop artist Bronze Avery, dance music vocalist Kaleena Zanders, pop singer Zolita, and trans rapper Lady Londyn. And depending on your mood, you can also hit up the Pride on the Boulevard’s health and wellness expo or the beer garden.
Where can I get a drink?
We promise, you won’t go thirsty. Organizers have created a variety of pop-up bars modeled after historic venues down to the decor like The Stonewall Inn and Jewel Catch One, one of the first black discos in the country slated to feature retro DJ tunes and live music. The Palms -- that legendary lesbian bar that shuttered in 2013 after 50 years -- will return at Pride on the Boulevard with dancers, DJs, and vintage furniture. You can also swing by one of our favorite LGBTQ bars in LA, each of which is guaranteed to be bumping all weekend.
What are the parade details?
The 49th Annual Pride Parade will get going at 11am on Sunday, June 9, at Santa Monica Boulevard and Fairfax, and make its way down a 2-mile stretch of Santa Monica, officially ending around 2pm at Doheny. Attending the parade is free, and seating is on a first-come basis. Expect tens of thousands of spectators and all kinds participants with fantastic floats showcasing everything from national brands to non-profits to reality shows (because Lisa Vanderpump needs to be everywhere, always). You can check out the long list of the participants here.
Who's leading the parade?
Grand Marshalls include Special star Ryan O’Connell and Black AIDS Institute founder Phil Wilson. The Los Angeles LGBT Center gets the honors of Organization Grand Marshall.
How do I get there?
The city will be raking in the dough by enforcing metered parking rules all weekend and you probably know that finding a street spot isn’t easy in these parts on a random Tuesday night let alone one of the biggest weekends of the year. You can try one of several public lots around the neighborhood, which will be charging at least $20 to park, though taking an Uber or Lyft (the latter of which will be donating a portion of its proceeds from fares to and from the festival to the Los Angeles LGBT Center) is probably your best bet. There isn’t a super-convenient Metro stop to the parade, but you could take the Red Line to the Hollywood and Vine stop (about 3 miles from the start of the parade route) and then grab the (free!) PrideRide shuttle or a rideshare from there.
Will there be street closures?
Nope -- everyone will just do their best to avoid oncoming traffic. Just kidding, of course there'll be closures: streets along the parade route will be closed Sunday from 5am through 5pm. But wait, there’s more!
- San Vicente Boulevard is closed between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 7pm Thursday through 10am Monday.
- Santa Monica Boulevard is closed from Hancock Avenue to Robertson Boulevard most of the weekend with eastbound shutting down Friday at 10am and westbound Saturday at 9am. Both directions will be opening back up Monday morning at some point before rush hour.
- Robertson Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard is closed Saturday at 9am until before rush hour on Monday.
- Santa Monica Boulevard -- along with all streets one block north and one block south -- between Fairfax Avenue and Doheny Drive will close Sunday at 5am through 5pm.
- Public facilities like the library and dog park will also close during the weekend. You can get the lowdown here.
Anything else going on?
Tons. There’s plenty of programming happening throughout the month around town -- from youth dances to outdoor movies -- but you should clear your Friday night for the LA Pride Festival Opening Ceremony, a free night of activities kicking off at 8pm in West Hollywood Park with remarks by various speakers and the premiere of Verizon’s documentary 5B, which tells the story of the nurses and caregivers who staffed the country’s first HIV/AIDS ward in the country. Then expect a full evening of entertainment with a WeHo Vogue Ball & Drag show; ongoing music, dancing and DJs; a performance by singer, actor, choreographer and American Idol alum Todrick Hall; and a headline hour-long performance by none other than Paula Abdul at 10:30pm. How’s that for a fun Friday night?
How do I follow along on social media?
You can follow @lapride on Twitter and Instagram for updates and the hashtag touting this year’s theme of #JustUnite in addition to popular hashtags including #Pride2019#LAPride#PrideMonth and #LGBTProud.
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