Long Beach Pride Festival Canceled Over Permit Issues

Los Angeles’s ABC affiliate reports:

The city of Long Beach announced Friday it has canceled this weekend’s Long Beach Pride Festival, citing apparent permitting issues, though Sunday’s parade will still take place. City officials said the festival, which had been scheduled to start Friday at 5 p.m. with Teen Pride and continue Saturday and Sunday, will not move forward as planned.

“Unfortunately, one event, the Long Beach Pride Festival, will not be able to take place this year as sufficient information to safely permit the event has not been made available by the event organizers,” the city said in a statement.

“Despite continued collaboration and multiple deadline notices, the city did not receive the required documentation needed to complete safety reviews, inspect critical event infrastructure, such as the stage, electrical systems and tent, and emergency exiting plans to ensure compliance with public safety standards,” the city’s statement also said.

Los Angeles’s CBS affiliate reports:

Long Beach Pride issued the following statement: “Long Beach Pride is deeply disappointed by the City of Long Beach’s decision to cancel the Long Beach Pride Festival, a long-standing community institution that has stood for more than four decades as a symbol of visibility, resilience, belonging, and equality.”

“We call on the City of Long Beach, Mayor Rex Richardson, the City Council, and public safety partners to engage in good faith with Long Beach Pride to identify a responsible path forward that preserves the festival, protects public safety, and honors the community this event was created to serve.”

Long Beach Pride launched in 1984 and is the fourth-largest such event in California behind San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

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