The float will carry its message of equality, unity and welcome in the NYC Pride March (June 30) and the Salute to America Independence Day Parade (July 4, Philadelphia) as well. The hand-painted, 34-foot float features more than a million golden—as in golden anniversary—“eyelashes,” 1,700 feet of rainbow ribbon and almost 42,000 square inches of Styrofoam.
“We are proud to join the worldwide celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots through a unique collaboration with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund,” said Jeff Guaracino, president and CEO, VISIT PHILADELPHIA. “This is the first time that the history of the LGBTQ community will be told comprehensively and authoritatively to the world through mass media. Our city has played an essential role in this civil rights movement, and we’ve worked hard to let people know they are always welcome in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.”
LGBTQ pioneers and Annual Reminder participants will ride on the float alongside younger members of the LGBTQ community, symbolizing unity, equality and the impact that all generations continue to have on the movement. A seven-foot replica of the Liberty Bell—one of the world’s most recognizable symbols of freedom—sits at the front of the float, and its back wall is designed to replicate the façade of the Stonewall Inn. People will have a chance to see the float being built at Cherry Street Pier (June 4-7). Then, on June 8 from noon – 3 p.m., the public is invited to send words of encouragement to the community by writing on rainbow ribbons that will be affixed to the float’s base.
The Philly/Stonewall Connection
Philadelphia’s connection to the LGBTQ civil rights movement is well-documented. The nation’s first LGBTQ sit-in took place at Dewey’s, a now-gone Center City diner. The city was home to Barbara Gittings, editor of the nation’s first lesbian magazine and co-organizer of the Annual Reminders. And Philadelphia’s Independence Hall served as the backdrop for the Annual Reminders (1965-1969), the last of which occurred just days after Stonewall and drew 45 demonstrators eager to remind people of the need for rights and protections for members of the community.
“Stonewall is widely recognized as one of the most important events leading to the modern fight for LGBTQ rights, and Philadelphia played an integral role in its development,” said Mark Segal, publisher, Philadelphia Gay News, and president of the Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund, which provides educational, housing and health resources to the LGBTQ community. “As Philadelphia’s only Stonewall participant, I am honored to work with VISIT PHILADELPHIA on the 50th anniversary of the demonstrations to continue our march toward equality.”
