Today San Francisco Pride broke the news that 2020’s Parade and Festival–typically held the last weekend in June on the anniversary of the Stonewall riots–will be cancelled, not postponed, due to COVID-19.
This year’s celebration, among the country’s largest Prides, was to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first Pride Parade (which took place in 1970 on the one-year anniversary of Stonewall…see how that works?).
Related: The nearly-forgotten ‘Michael’s Thing,’ New York’s premiere gay mag from 1970 – 2000
“This was not a decision we arrived at lightly,” Executive Director Fred Lopez said in a press release. “Far from it: Our staff has been in frequent talks with our board, our production team, our partners at many departments of City Hall, officials at other Pride organizations worldwide — and most of all, our LGBTQ communities. We have heard from people who urged us to cancel, and from those who implored us not to.
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“Since the coronavirus first emerged, we have held out hope that the situation would shift and we would be able to gather later this year,” Lopez added. “Well before the first shelter-in-place order, our team began to balance our excitement for Pride 50 and evaluate possible alternatives. With heavy hearts, we have decided not to go forward with the Parade and Celebration in 2020.”
In addition to being a cherished event that draws north of 500,000 revelers, the event also raises substantial funds–$2.5 million on average–which get donated to various local community organizations and nonprofits.
Related: Amazing, never-before-published photos from the historic 1993 March on Washington for LGBTQ rights
“We know what Pride symbolizes for San Francisco — and to LGBTQ+ people around the world,” Board President Carolyn Wysinger said. “We know our decision means disappointment, canceled plans, and one less thing for us all to look forward to. We also know that protecting the safety of all our communities is the most important.”
SF Pride joins an ever-expanding list of spring and summer events being canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus.
mz.sam
Fine with that. Will be cruising on Atlantis to Italy anyway.
Kangol2
To Italy, you say? On a cruise ship? Well, alrighty then!
joycejocampo
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sfcarlos65
I’m saddened by this, but I know it’s best to be cautious.
MacAdvisor
I was so disappointed to miss the parade last year for the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. I was in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery the previous week, so a trip to SF was really out of the question. I planned to make a big deal of this year and now it is gone. Very sad, but believe this is the right choice by the event people. Tough choice, but right call.
Kangol2
So sorry to hear you were in the hospital last year undergoing heart surgery, but I hope you are continuing to heal, and stay healthy and safe!
MacAdvisor
Thank you, Kangol2. I am doing well and am much, much better. Harder to go swimming at the pool at my gym these days, but walking my dogs when I can. Shall we set our sights on 2021 for Pride?
lambchopp59
I’m heartbroken too. Last year’s celebration highlight for me was Kamala Harris speech, that’s one tough, smart, tenacious and truthful advocate for our rights. Working in relatively rural north bay, pride weekend provided a bit of urban respite alhthough I stay in more pet-friendly east bay and bART in for the celebration. I’d saved a lot of PTO time, let my overlords know I was planning way ahead of time for this so they could get us staffed accordingly. By next year, the political tension of this tumultuous calamity of “cough”… leadership will be done for. God forbid otherwise.
Sigh, we must all do our part by “not doing” this round! Certainly don’t want to emulate even the shadow of the idiotic spring-breakers who spread this damn thing far and wide.
ghostrifles01
thanks
winemaker
If I said what I think of the idiots who wanted the ‘show to go on as planned’, I’d be censored. That being said, best to cancel it. Imagine over 500 thousand people from all over the possible infections would have been explosive. If allowed to go on, the ensuing economic and public health disaster would be unfathomable and the 4 weeks San Francisco has been shutdown would all have been for nothing. Many of us are getting cabin fever and want this nightmare over as soon as possible. Businesses have been shuttered and closed up, thousands are suddenly unemployed and can’t get unemployment because the state unemployment website is down or crashed due to the overwhelming applications .
Den
At least the shut down seems to be working here, as infection rates have slowed down.
Toofie
It’s disappointing, but better to pull the bandaid off and cancel instead of a rolling postponement.
barkomatic
I hope the pandemic is under control by June if not before then. Whether Pride still happens in some areas or not, once the weather is sunny and warm you’re gonna see adherence to social distancing plummet as people get weary of being in their homes 24/7.
I’m only predicting human nature here by the way and in no way endorsing such behavior. If there is no official Pride, you’re gonna start seeing parties of all kinds at people’s homes especially among young people. In NYC, we could even see a brief return of real speakeasies–not the overpriced fake ones. I think the authorities realize this too and must be making contingency plans.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
As I knew would be the case Gold’s Gym has permanently closed one third of its gyms across the country. It announced that it was already struggling before the pandemic but this pushed it over the edge. I’ll bet many other gym chains are in the same boat and are going to follow.
Chrisk
Well, they should be like my gym (24 hour fitness). No membership freezes allowed. Their policy is to keep charging you no matter what.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
@Chrisk….wow! A friend of mine said Planet Fitness is doing the same thing. I advise you to call your credit union or bank and tell what what is going on and tell them your concerns because of the Golds Gym closing. And be sure to check with that gym regarding their refund policy in the event that they close their doors like Golds Gym did. Don’t forget in 2016 David Barton’s Gym in NYC closed it doors without warning even though the night before it was still selling gym memberships to people. They never got their money back and people who left stuff in lockers didn’t get it back either. I just heard on the news that Ticketmaster and other online ticket agencies are informing people that it will be some time before their money is refunded because of cancelled shows. Good luck.
barkomatic
@Chrisk. Yeah, NYSC is still charging its customers even though the gym is closed. I had to call my credit card company to contest the April charge and block future charges from coming through. They sent out letters saying the April charge would be applied as a credit for the first month back–but of course if they go belly up that won’t happen.
TamaraChing
Actually this proud San Franciscan native concurs with the final decision not to have a celebration as it is still too close to the current worldwide pandemic and people would be affected by their attendance and numbers. San Francisco has always been on the forefront of intervention and prevention methodology and it shows by our existence. Even if the parade and celebration would occur in June, I would not attend nor appear even though the celebration site is less than one city block from home. I would not risk my life nor expose anything I had to someone if I did have something. So please celebration occurrences can happen via social media and other virtual avenues. Take care, now and later.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Well said honey. I can’t believe Up Your Alley has not been cancelled but hopefully the organizers will come to their senses before its too late. The Folsom Street Fair seems to still be on as well.