A STATEMENT REGARDING PRIDE FROM WILLIAM WAY
The William Way LGBT Community Center supports the efforts of our communities to transform Philadelphia’s Pride March, festival, and associated events over the upcoming year. We are especially supportive of Black, Brown and Trans voices leading the way in this effort, and will support this leadership with our resources as we are asked. We encourage the staff and board of Philly Pride Presents to share all of the available data, information and resources as may be requested and to return to the table to answer questions raised by the community. This is important both for accountability and reconciliation.
We look forward to a reimagined Pride Celebration in Summer, 2022 that will fully express the joy, resilience, and great history of our city. As community members step up to assist with this transition we are here to support you and provide resources, including meeting space. We hope that everyone will find time to honor and celebrate your Pride this month.
UPDATE 6/25
Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, founder of Black & Brown Workers Co-op, spoke today outside of City Hall in Philadelphia about the need for a new outlook on Philly Pride.
UPDATE 6/17
The organization Philly Pride Presents has dissolved following repeated controversial posts on facebook. The Pride-Lite in September has been canceled. Stay tuned for more.
Posted on 5/14/2021 from Philly Pride Presents
The devil is in the details! We received this communication from the City of Philadelphia regarding the new Covid guidelines:
“Although, the City is opening up everything the capacity for large scaled events is still 33 ppl per 1,000 sq. ft and you have to stay 3ft. feet away. People are misinterpreting opening up is for all events and it’s not, they’re mainly talking about restaurants and stadium events.” So, as far as the proposed Pride Festival on September 4, 2021, is it not yet “fully open.” This will be a work in progress and we will get everyone informed.
Posted on 4/20/2021 from Philly Pride Presents
As a follow-up to our posting about Pride on September 4, 2021: we are unable to do a Pride celebration in June (as we have for 32 years) due to covid-19 restrictions and opted for September as we expect those restrictions will be moderated. OutFest, traditionally the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, can’t be done because of the bar/restaurant permits for their street/sidewalk extensions, which are viable until December. We didn’t want to miss another year!
COVID-19 has put a lot of events on hold, and this included Philly Pride 2020. We were all saddened that we couldn’t get together to celebrate our pride with the annual Pride Parade and Festival brought to us by Philly Pride Presents. But of course, the safety of our community always comes first.
On April 16, 2021, Philly Pride Presents, the host of the annual Philly Pride Parade and Festival posted the following:
The local gayborhood restaurants have street permits that run until December so that they can have outdoor dining during COVID, so Philly Pride Presents was not able to get permits for a street festival or a parade.
They contacted Penn’s Landing to get a date for the festival, and Saturday, September 4th was the only day that the space was available.
The new Pride lite will be in lieu of June Pride and October OUTFest.
No one wanted to have Pride in June more than me, but we have to do what we can with the new reality of COVID.
Franny Price
Director of Philly Pride Presents
Location Announced: Penn’s Landing
A revamped LGBTQ Pride Festival is moving to September at Penn’s Landing, organizers told PGN.
“We’re going to do a pride event because we know people will be itching to get out, but it won’t be like the traditional pride events we’re used to doing because of the city guidelines,” said Fran Price of Philly Pride Presents. “We’re calling it ‘Pride Lite,’ and that should explain a lot.” – Posted 4/29 on the PGN
Stay tuned for more details and if you hear any news, email us at [email protected]
