One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Pride Isn't Over Just Yet, Honey: Boyle Heights Gets Its First Official Festival
Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.
(
Chava Sanchez
/
LAist
)
This weekend, Boyle Heights is getting its very own official Pride event.
Organizers of Orgullo Fest say it's the first of its kind, launched with support from City Councilman Kevin De Leon and local organizers like Luis Octavio, co-owner of the Noa Noa Place bar in Boyle Heights.
"Even in Southern California where there are a ton of Latinos, our Pride events that we have still give us a small stage,” Octavio said. “We're never a part of the bigger stage. And so for that reason we decided to start Orgullo Fest."
Octavio said the day-long festival will include tributes to the Eastside's LGBTQ history, which includes one of the oldest queer bars in Boyle Heights, Red’s.
“Red's has been around since the 1950s and its been known as a lesbian bar, and it's gone through different ownerships, so this is a part of history, this is a part of our community,” he said.
The festival is one of the new neighborhood events that sprouted this year that celebrate the LGBTQ community, as larger events like LA Pride have gone without a parade or festival.
The free Orgullo Fest takes place this Sunday, from noon to 7 p.m., along First Street in Boyle Heights. There will be music and a performance by drag queen Melissa Befierce.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
