With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
LA PRIDE 2015 Guide: The Festival, Parade And Street Closures
It's LA PRIDE 2015 this weekend! There will be lots of parties, shows and of course, the 45th Annual PRIDE Parade. Here's a quick guide to the main festival and parade in WeHo, and the best ways to navigate the crowded, rainbow-filled streets.The Parade
Grand Marshal Reverend Troy Perry will be leading the parade this year with Zoey, a 13-year old transgender youth advocate. Perry helped found the world's first pride parade, plus founded the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Church. Zoey, with the support of her mother, began working with the ACLU at age 11 to be able to self-identify at her school. Additionally, the Community Grand Marshal will be the cast and crew of Amazon's Transparent.
Spectators are strongly encouraged to show up early to get a spot. 400,000 people show up to this annual celebration, so the best way to enjoy the festivities is to walk or use the shuttle to get there, stake out a vantage point and marvel at the floats. Frontiers LA is hosting a free viewing party at Beach Nation at Santa Monica and Sweetzer.
The parade begins Sunday at 11 a.m. The route runs down Santa Monica Blvd. from Crescent Heights Blvd. to Robertson Blvd.
Street Closures
San Vicente Blvd. will be closed between Melrose Ave and Santa Monica Blvd. from 7 p.m. on Thursday through 10 a.m. on Monday.
Support for LAist comes from
Santa Monica Blvd. will be closed between Fairfax Ave. and Doheny Dr. from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Crescent Heights Blvd. will be closed between Romaine St. and Fountain Ave. from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Norton Avenue will be closed between Havenhurst Dr. and Laurel Dr. from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Streets one block north and one block south of Santa Monica Blvd. between Fairfax and La Peer Dr. will be closed from 5 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday.
You should be aware that traffic is going to be pretty intense in WeHo this weekend, so you might want to consider not driving all the way to WeHo, but using the free PRIDE Ride shuttle instead (see below). If you do drive…
Free PRIDE Ride Shuttle
The Pride Ride shuttle will be cruising back and forth along Santa Monica Blvd. between La Brea and the festival grounds at Robertson. It runs Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 a.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.; and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. It will come every 15 minutes, and it's totally free. You can see a map of the route and stops here.
Support for LAist comes from
Metro Detours
You can get to the festival and parade using the bus. Lines 4, 10, 30/330, 105, 217, 218, 704 or 705 will take you there. There will also be detours due to street closures, and information on those can be found on Metro's service advisory page here. You can find more PRIDE-centric Metro info, plus additional maps, here.
Annual WeHo Dyke March
This event for the lesbian community includes a march down Santa Monica Blvd. before a free concert, Lavendar Menance. Performers include Angel Haze, Ivy Levan, Honey Dijon, Nvida, Tosh and Lex.
You can also check out Dyke Day on Saturday in Elysian Park. Details are here.
Trans*Party LA
This party for the trans community is also free and takes place on the FOX Pride Latino Carnival area of the Festival grounds. It goes from 7 p.m. to midnight and will feature comedians, DJs, dancers and the cast of Transparent. Performers include Jakob G, Aubrey Girls, Lunden Reign, Reki, Sissy Début, Angel Bonilla, Jason Taylorson, Alexandra Grey, LZ LOVE and Cassandra Cass.
The Festival
Support for LAist comes from
The festival runs noon to midnight on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday. It's located between Santa Monica Blvd. and Melrose Ave. bounded by San Vicente and Robertson boulevards. You can expect food, drink, vendors, performances, a roller disco, art and Erotic City—that's the "kinky" area of the fest where you can learn about "puppy play" and play strip pong. General admission tickets start at $20. (Full details and ticket pricing here.)
Performances
Friday (free), 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.: Angel Haze, Ivy Levan, Honey Dijon, Nvida, Tosh and Lex
Saturday, noon to midnight: Kesha, Wrabel, Tinashe, Wilson Phillips, Michael Mercury, Beauty in the Breakdown
Latino Carnivale Stage: Crystal Waters, Thea Austin, Sonora Tropicana Carmen Rio
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.: Fifth Harmony, Eden XO, Who is Fancy, Ty Herndon, Peter Paige, Becky G*, Dina Nina Martinez, Luciana, Sean Van Der Wilt, Maceo Paisley
Latino Carnivale Stage: DJ Kidd Madonny, Flava, Ana Barbara, Becky G, Wild Style, Sonora Tropicana, 5 Senti 2
We're still awaiting information about parking. We'll update this post when we get that info.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce.
Best of LAist