Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Pride and politics
“Rainbow Resistance” set for Lake Worth LGBTQ fest.
Despite being a festival celebrating the LGBTQ community in Palm Beach County, politics is very much a part of this year’s Palm Beach Pride. “Rainbow Resistance” is the theme for the celebration to be staged March 24-25 in Lake Worth.
“We are in Trump’s back yard,” says Julia Murphy, chief development officer for Compass Community Center, which produces the event. “To be able to stand tall and proud is very important. The political climate has changed, and it’s not very good for our community. It’s not supportive.”
Yet Murphy is quick to add that Lake Worth “has been extremely open and supportive of not only Compass, but Pride.” Compass is the community center for Palm Beach County’s LGBTQ population and their allies. Palm Beach Pride, formerly known as Pridefest, moved from West Palm Beach to Lake Worth in 2000.
“We started as a picnic in 1992 with a few hundred people,” Murphy recalls. “Now, we have 25,000. And allies and people come from all over the state. Who wants to be anywhere else in the month of March. We’re not the biggest pride [festival], but we have the biggest heart, they say.”
This year, Palm Beach Pride will include a concert by pop-dance singer CeCe Peniston and a parade on Sunday. On both days. a variety of performers will appear on the main stage, including, DJs, musicians and female impersonators. There will also be vendors, food trucks and art exhibits.
“And then, there’s [art] displays in Bryant Park,” Murphy adds. “So you have a chance for lots of fun Instagram photos and selfies. And we’re the only Pride that has the Wells Fargo stagecoaches and horses in the parade. It’s a huge deal.” Palm Beach Pride runs March 24-25 at Bryant Park, 30 S. Golfview Road, in Lake Worth. Performances are noon-6 p.m. both days. The parade begins 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Admission both days is $8 in advance, $10 at the gate. For information, call 561-533-9699 or go to CompassGLCC.com.