Years
& Years lead singer Olly Alexander has simultaneously emerged as
one of the most culturally-important new voices and a
once-in-a-generation frontman. His brave, unwavering and
inspiring open-mindedness has helped a generation start important
discussions around mental health and LGBTQ+ issues. Years & Years
push boundaries by challenging notions of identity and sexuality in a
way that is new to pop music, and totally their own.
GRAMMY®
Award-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Meghan
Trainor first made history in 2014 with her diamond-certified smash
single “All About That Bass.” In 2018,
through a love letter published in Billboard, Trainor said, “To
the entire LGBTQ+ community, I love you with all of my heart, I
appreciate you endlessly and I support you with all that I have and
believe in. I am there for you as you have been for me.”
LA Pride’s 2019
#JUSTUNITE theme makes a simple, yet powerful statement: that the work the LGBTQ+ community does
together is ultimately what will make it stronger and more
resilient than ever before. The theme is not only a nod to the Pride
movement’s storied history of pioneers and activists who paved the way
for the rights LGBTQ+ people have today, but it also
is a reminder that the fight for equality is still far from over. LA
Pride has embraced this rich history as the fuel to inspire, motivate
and drive the LGBTQ+ community to its next chapter.
“LA
Pride stands humbly on the shoulders of those that have come before us
who worked tirelessly for nearly 50 years to create a movement. Our new
generation of leadership looks to
honor that past and build on the many hard-fought LGBTQ+ civil rights
victories. Our multi-generational community is, indeed, stronger
together, and this year’s LA Pride celebration draws upon our diverse
experiences to ensure that our collective voice is
more powerful than ever,” said Estevan Montemayor, President of the CSW
Board of Directors.
For
the first time, the LA Pride Festival is expanding onto Santa Monica
Boulevard with Pride on the Boulevard, a free block party that will
allow guests to gather and watch local
performers on both Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9 from 12:00pm –
7:00pm. The block party will be located on Santa Monica Boulevard
between San Vicente and Robertson Boulevards and is accessible to
everyone as a great way unite and celebrate together.
To
create even more free opportunities for the community to participate in
LA Pride, a new Friday night program has been added to the festival on
June 7 at West Hollywood Park. The
free evening will feature:
- An Official Opening Ceremony including a diverse mix of community and spiritual leaders and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community
- A combination of entertainment, including a WeHo Vogue Ball & Drag Show, a night of dancing, music from local DJs and special surprise guests
To help create a more seamless event experience throughout the entire festival, LA Pride will be implementing:
- Ticketing and guest services relocated to Santa Monica Boulevard, between Palm and Hancock Avenues, to expedite entrance into the festival grounds and reduce wait times
- New and additional street closures to help improve flow
- Increased and improved security teams with specialized training for the LGBTQ+ community
- Improvements to ADA implementation and accessibility for all guests, with extra focus on safe access and space throughout the festival for those guests requiring additional assistance. All ADA compliance and improvements will be overseen by Accessible Festivals.
- Those looking to volunteer can donate four hours of their time to the celebration and will in turn be able to receive complimentary tickets to the festival.
Festival goers are encouraged to buy tickets in advance online at
lapride.org.
Ticket sales and proceeds from the LA
Pride Festival support and fund the LA Pride Parade, LGBTQ+ community
grant programs and scholarships and CSW’s ongoing programming at Casa
del Sol. CSW provides free festival tickets to LGBTQ+ non-profits and
service organizations to distribute to their members.