Wilton Manors ready to celebrate Stonewall Pride Festival
WILTON MANORS - Banners flying in Wilton Manors say, "Love has no gender, Love is love."
You can see the pride all over Wilton Drive.
There are also lots of preparations as Stonewall Pride gets ready to welcome some 40,000 people to celebrate the LGBTQ plus community. People are coming from around the world. "We're here from Fort Myers," said John Michael. "We come probably 10 years in a row for pride. It's a lot of fun," he said.
Local bars, restaurants and stores are gearing up for big business. Gym bar expects to sell two to three times more liquor than usual.
"It's a controlled crazy," said Gym Bar Co-Owner Erich Courage. "If you have enough staff and there's security on the street there's really not a problem.
With recent threats at pride celebrations in Idaho and West Palm organizers say security will be tight.
"We have added extra security," said Jameer Baptiste with Hotspots! & Happening Out. "We have 4-5 security companies that are assisting with police," he said.
For the first time since 2019, the parade will step off Saturday at 7 p.m.
Last year's parade was canceled after a horrible accident when a member of the gay men's Chorus accidentally hit two other members leaving one dead. 2020's parade was canceled due to COVID.
Pride this year is more than just celebrating the beginning of the gay rights movement. New laws in Florida like the so-called "Don't say gay" and other have many gearing up for a new movement.
"It harkens back to when we first started the Stonewall Movement and the Stonewall Riot 53 years ago. We were fighting for equality and justice and here we are again in the state of Florida fighting for equality and justice," Baptiste said.
"When the police raided the Stonewall Inn they rebelled and they rebelled over several days and nights and that lead to being called the "stonewall riots" and that was the kick off in a major way for gay liberation across the United States and ultimately around the world.
Robert Kesten is the Executive Director of the Stonewall Museum and Achieves in Fort Lauderdale. He said with changing laws in Florida aimed at the LGBTQ community, Pride events are more important than ever.
"If we don't know our history we're doomed to continue in the loop. Florida and what's going on right now in Tallahassee demands that we learn it and that we keep it alive and we do not allow them to push us back into closets," he said.
While people are excited for the fun and friendship, they're well aware of the political climate.
"We want a more inclusive lifestyle in Florida," explained Eddie Jakobson who's visiting from Fort Myers. "We want people to see it's okay to say gay. It's not a bad thing to say that. We just want to be proud and out," he said.
The Stonewall Pride Festival goes from Saturday at 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets are $7 online and $10 at the festival. The twilight parade gets underway at 7 p.m. on Wilton Drive.
Parts of Wilton Drive and nearby streets will be closed. Wilton Manors Police put out the following information:
The following road closures are planned to accommodate ingress and egress to and from the event festivities from 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 18 to 4 a.m. on Sunday:
• Wilton Drive from NE 20 ST to Five Points
• NE 21 CT from NE 5 AVE to Wilton DR
• NE 22 ST from Wilton Drive to NE 5 AVE
• NE 6 AVE will be closed from Wilton DR to NE 23 ST
Click here for more info on the festival.