WILTON MANORS, Fla. – With just hours away, a team embracing rainbows prepared seven stages for Stonewall Pride events on Saturday and Sunday in Wilton Manors.
The city plans to commemorate the historic 1969 riots in New York City for the 25th year with a block party festival and a Glow Night parade at 8 p.m.
“It’s all about our unity,” Jameer Baptiste said. “It’s all about coming together and showcasing that we are resilient.”
Jeff Sterling, the organizer of the $1 million event, expects more than 50,000 people. Baptiste said he can’t wait for the blocks of “fun,” food, and entertainment in the heart of Florida’s “gayborhood.”
The events along Wilton Manors Drive are from 3 to 11 p.m. The main stage is at Northeast Sixth Avenue. The event counts on a law enforcement team.
“We’re always there watching but it helps if the public is aware of their surroundings as well,” Detective Haley Plant said.
This year’s Grand Marshals are Velvet Lenore, a drag queen icon; George Kessinger, the founder of the event; Tristan Schukraft, the founder of the HIV telehealth platform MISTR; and Kurt Kelly and Stacy Lentz, the owners of The Stonewall Inn and founders of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative.
General admission is $10 in advance and $13 at the entrance for attendees 12 years old or older. The VIP tent ticket is $125, and the VIP Private Club is $250.
For more information about the celebration, visit this page. For information about the city’s discount for ride-sharing services, visit this page.