Long Beach Cancels Pride Festival Over Permit Lapse as Sunday 10 a.m. Parade Proceeds
Updated
Updated · KABC-TV · May 16
Long Beach Cancels Pride Festival Over Permit Lapse as Sunday 10 a.m. Parade Proceeds
10 articles · Updated · KABC-TV · May 16
Long Beach scrapped this weekend’s Pride Festival on Friday, halting events that were due to begin at 5 p.m. with Teen Pride, while keeping Sunday’s 10 a.m. parade on schedule.
City officials said organizers failed to provide documentation needed to complete safety reviews and inspect key infrastructure, including the stage, electrical systems, tents and emergency exit plans.
Long Beach Pride said it was deeply disappointed and urged Mayor Rex Richardson, the City Council and public safety partners to find a path that would still preserve the festival.
Downtown Long Beach and Broadway businesses are still expected to host Pride celebrations, leaving the parade and smaller community events to carry the weekend’s broader observance.
Was the Pride Festival's cancellation a necessary safety precaution or a failure of city and nonprofit collaboration?
With the festival axed but the city-run parade saved, what does this reveal about the future of community-led events?