Events to be rescheduled for fall of 2020
PHOENIX — Phoenix Pride will postpone the 40th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade, originally scheduled for April 4-5, 2020, amid broad-based concerns over public health and safety. The events will be rescheduled for the fall of 2020, with new dates to be announced soon.
The organization has issued the following statement:
“Since concerns first arose regarding the state of public health and safety in the U.S., Phoenix Pride’s staff and leadership have been in constant contact with our partners in the relevant local, state and federal government agencies, as well as with vendor and community partners, and we have been closely monitoring the current public health situation.
“While we had hoped to present the 40th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade as planned, our first and foremost concern is always for the health and safety of everyone who participates in our programs at any level, including our staff, vendors, volunteers, performers and guests.
“Based on the best information currently available, and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, we have made the determination that the best, and safest, course of action at this time is to postpone our 40th Annual Festival and Parade until a date later this year. We are looking at fall 2020 options and will announce new festival and parade dates as soon as they are confirmed.
“We are extremely grateful to all of our partners in making these events possible, including our sponsors, vendors, managers, volunteers, our partners in government and public safety, and especially our local community, without whom we would not and could not exist.
“Our commitment to the community and to our mission remains unwavering, and we look forward to producing a Pride Festival and Parade this fall that will make everyone in our community proud, and that will be worthy of the great milestone that is our 40th anniversary. In the interim, we encourage everyone to be safe and be healthy, and we wish everyone well moving forward.”
ABOUT PHOENIX PRIDE
Phoenix Pride is the producer of the two largest annual public LGBTQ community events in Arizona: the Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade held each spring in April, and the Rainbows Festival, held every fall in October. Founded in 1981, the organization engages year-round in its mission to unite, educate and engage people and partners to support and empower the LGBTQ community and its current and future allies. Additional information regarding Phoenix Pride is available online at the agency’s web site, http://www.PhoenixPride.org.
