Oakland Pride Parade and Festival expected to draw nearly 50,000 people
This Sunday, downtown Oakland will come alive with color, music, and celebration as big crowds gather for the 14th Annual Oakland Pride Parade and Festival.
George Smith, board president of Oakland Pride, walked CBS News Bay Area through the parade route, highlighting the excitement surrounding this year's event.
"Our parade is gonna come down from 14th Street, all the way down to 20th Street where the entry gates will be right here, right at 20th and Broadway there will be balloons and everything to signify that you're about to have a good time," said Smith.
For the past 14 years, Oakland Pride has been a beacon of hope for the LGBTQ+ community, fostering unity and diversity. The event has also led to the creation of important resources like the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, further expanding opportunities and safe spaces in the community.
"We just wanna create spaces for people to gather so we could celebrate our Pride, and also carry more diversity, inclusion, in the spirit of Oakland. This is one of the most diverse cities in America and we want to represent that in our events," Smith explained.
The festival will feature three stages of entertainment: the Main Stage, the Latin Stage, and the Community Stage, which will include performances by artists from "RuPaul's Drag Race."
Security is a top priority for this year's event, especially in light of recent incidents like the Juneteenth shooting at Lake Merritt, which left 14 people injured. Oakland police will have assistance from law enforcement partners, and the event will include barricades and fencing to manage vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
"There will be security at all the gates, and police and our security staff will walk the entire route. If people are having problems or anything like that, there will be safety ambassadors and volunteers that they can contact anytime. They'll be very visible, wearing yellow Oakland Pride t-shirts," Smith added.
This year's Pride Festival is also about supporting Oakland's downtown businesses, which have been hit hard by the pandemic and waves of crime.
Peter Gamez from Visit Oakland emphasized the economic impact, saying, "Our records show that we have people coming from the Central Valley and Sacramento to do overnights. It's not just Sunday during the great parade that's gonna take place on Broadway Street, but it's the whole weekend. You can see the vitality of the restaurants and bars, LGBTQ-owned businesses."
As states across the country pass anti-LGBTQ legislation, Smith sees this year's Oakland Pride as an important opportunity to push back and demonstrate solidarity.
"We have to stand strong, come together, show our Pride, and fight for inclusion, equality, wherever we are and whatever we do," Smith said.
Oakland Pride kicks off at 11 a.m. with the parade, followed by the festival at noon. It promises to be a day of celebration, representation, and resilience for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies.