Having LGBTQ+ youth and seniors in the same venue helps to create an environment where we can see one another, and how far we have come.” It is vital for a thriving LGBTQ+ community to have these “Pride is one of the only places where all aspects of the LGBTQ+ community can gather in one place. “As the founding executive director of Miami Beach Pride, it gives me great joy to see what it has become,” says Cindy Brown now Senior Program Manager at Lambda The event has become a highlight of the Miami Beach calendar making organizers proud. Miami Beach Gay Pride Festival first event only attracted a crowd of 15,000 people whereas the 2019 festival attracted over 140,000 people. Miami Beach became a gay mecca in the '80s and '90s but it wasn't until April 2009 that a city-sanctioned Gay Pride Parade was organized.
The Sunday parade running along the iconic Ocean Drive returns along with a COVID compliant festival located on the sands of Lummus Park. After last year's cancellation due to COVID-19, this year's party, usually set in April, will take place on the weekend of September 18-19 with events starting on September 10. This year, Miami Beach Pride returns with an impressive roster of events making it one of the most diverse and colorful Pride celebrations in the world. Has affected the world and Gay Pride celebrations have been canceled or postponed in cities around the globe. LGBT+ travelers often choose to visit cities during Pride celebrations to bond with like-minded people. According to The Encyclopedia of Lesbian and Gay Histories and Cultures, “The first organized gay pride week was celebrated in Miami Beach in early 1972 with a march on Lincoln Road protesting a city law banning cross-dressing.” Gay Pride has become an international celebration of gay cultures and Pride Festivals around the world boasting rosters of star-studded events, performances, and parades.