In a time when many Pride organizations face decreasing support from corporate America and communities, Stonewall Pride is doubling down. Stonewall is absorbing (for lack of a better word) the long-troubled Pride Fort Lauderdale.
“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Stonewall CEO Jeff Sterling said.
Since the pandemic, PFL has struggled financially and has been the subject of a series of stories documenting a lack of transparency. Former PFL President, Miik Martorell, resigned in October. That cleared the way for events to start happening quickly.
PFL postponed and eventually canceled its major party and parade for 2025. Now, after very hush hush negotiations, Stonewall announced PFL is coming under its umbrella, which also includes Pride Fête, a Caribbean Pride held in August in Wilton Manors.
Sterling says PFL’s now-former board voted in his board who named him CEO.
Stonewall, which itself was under intense scrutiny a year ago, sees no downside. Wilton Manors is an LGBTQ mecca, but in an “if you know, you know” sort of way. Fort Lauderdale has better name and brand recognition which will help both Prides in luring national sponsors.
Sterling will be meeting with Fort Lauderdale officials to discuss times and locations for Pride. There will be no Fort Lauderdale Pride this year.
The former board wanted to move the event to September or October, which is also the peak of hurricane season. They were also looking to keep it on the beach or move it to Las Olas.
Sterling says Pride won’t return to the beach and likely won’t have a headliner perform. He says neither are worth the money. He also says PFL is looking at several areas/venues.
One place being discussed by some is SW 2nd St. There is a park, lots of restaurants and bars, opportunities for air-conditioned VIP areas, Museum of Discovery & Science, and The Broward Center. That area is often blocked off for events and neighbors won’t complain about a party continuing past sundown.
In many ways this is a return to the past. In the 1980s there was only one Pride event, under a different name, until it split over a dispute over the time of the year the festival takes place.
