One of the biggest events of the year for the LGBTQ+ community in Palm Beach County is fast approaching. Palm Beach Pride, run by Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center, will be taking place Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24, at Bryant Park in Lake Worth Beach.
With everything currently going on concerning LGBTQ+ rights, especially down here in Florida, there are several reasons why Pride events like these are so important.
“The first is that it lets the LGBTQ+ community and its allies gather together to celebrate the advances we’ve made over the years and the joy we find in being our authentic selves!” said Michael Riordan, Director of Media and Communications at Compass.
Several major local LGBTQ+ events, such as Pride Fort Lauderdale and the Smart Ride, have been canceled this year. According to Riordan, it’s vital, now more than ever, that the community celebrates together, loudly and proudly.
Pride is a family and pet friendly festival that will feature numerous performances throughout the weekend by South Florida legends such as Velvet Lenore, Kiowa, The Mushroots, and many more!
One of the entertainment highlights will be Daniel Franzese of “Mean Girls.” While the headliner will be country star Brooke Eden, who is queer and a champion for LGBTQ+ rights in the music industry. Eden is from West Palm Beach but now lives in Nashville with her wife. She also briefly appeared on two different seasons of “American Idol.”
Performance schedules can be found on the Compass website: www.CompassLGBTQ.com.
The main event, the Pride Parade, will take place Sunday, March 24, at 11 a.m. on Lake Avenue in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, west of Dixie Highway.
Over 30,000 people come to participate in the parade, community events, and the festival, according to the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. With countless local organizations, retail and food venders, and businesses participating in the festivities, there is something for everyone.
Tickets are for sale now on the Compass website. They are $10 pre-sale and $12 at the gate. Anyone 18 and under is offered free admission to the park. Volunteers are always welcome and needed for a variety of tasks. Volunteer applications are located on the Compass website, and volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and free admission to Pride the day of their shift.
“We’re open to anyone who wants to peacefully celebrate with us,” said Riordan.