LA Pride is latest coronavirus cancellation as organisers fear 200,000-strong crowds could accelerate spread
LA Pride in 2019 (AGUSTIN PAULLIER/AFP/Getty)
The coronavirus pandemic has claimed another LGBT+ event: LA Pride.
The huge Los Angeles Pride parade in West Hollywood, California, was due to be held three months from now on June 12-14.
The festival typically attracts around 200,000 people, and 2020’s parade was intended to be a commemorative event celebrating its 50th anniversary.
It has now been cancelled after at least 150 people tested positive for coronavirus in California, with the number of untested cases thought to be much higher.
A March 12 tweet from the parade’s Twitter account read: “Due to the concerns of COVID-19, [event organiser Christopher Street West] will postpone all events related to the 50th Anniversary of LA Pride that were scheduled for June 2020.
“Organisers are assessing the situation. More information to be provided around the postponement as details become available.”
Due to the concerns of COVID-19, CSW will postpone all events related to the 50th Anniversary of LA Pride that were scheduled for June 2020. Organizers are assessing the situation. More information to be provided around the postponement as details become available.
— LA Pride (@lapride) March 12, 2020
Although June may seem far away, the virus has now spread to such an extent that experts believe disruption to Pride festivals around the world is “inevitable”.
Organisers are being encouraged to begin putting contingency plans in place, if they haven’t done so already.
Within hours of LA Pride’s tweet, a spokesperson for the City of West Hollywood issued a release outlining a series of coronavirus restrictions that will remain in place through June 30.
It stated that all non-essential events and meetings – including city-sponsored events, city co-sponsored events, city-funded events and any events or filming that require a permit – will be postponed or cancelled.
Several other high-profile events have been cancelled due to the virus, including the final dates on Madonna’s Madame X tour. Performances by Queen, Louis Tomlinson, Yungblud, Mariah Carey, Maluma, Green Day and BTS have also been impacted.
RuPaul’s DragCon, Coachella, South by Southwest, the Tribeca Film Festival, CinemaCon, Ultra Music Festival Abu Dhabi and Miami, and Tomorrowland Winter have all been postponed until a later date.
