One of the world’s largest displays of LGBTQ+ Pride will begin Friday evening in West Hollywood, as the three-day WeHo Pride Weekend opens with a sold-out concert headlined by Kesha.
Beginning at 6 p.m., “Friday Night at OUTLOUD” in West Hollywood Park will also feature Adam Lambert, Monét X Change, Laganja Estranja & Morphine Love Dion, Niña Dioz, Jessica Betts, Owenn, and Venessa Michaels.
It promises to be a raucous kickoff to a weekend of events that annually attracts tens of thousands of people to the heart of West Hollywood in an event highlighted by Sunday’s WeHo Pride Parade.
The WeHo Pride Street Fair will open at noon Saturday and Sunday, featuring community group booths, exhibitors, live music and entertainment. The fair will be open through 8 p.m. both days, along Santa Monica Boulevard between Hancock and La Peer Drive.
Saturday’s events will include the Women’s Freedom Festival through 6 p.m. on the Celebration Stage, featuring “emerging LGBTQ and BIPOC woman, non-binary musicians, comedians, poets and activists.” The annual Dyke March will begin on Santa Monica Boulevard at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The annual WeHo Pride Parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on Santa Monica Boulevard between Crescent Heights Boulevard and San Vicente. This year’s parade will feature “Lifetime Ally Icon” Cyndi Lauper, as well as floats, bands, drill teams, dance teams and entertainment.
The main stage at West Hollywood Park will feature music throughout the weekend, beginning at 1 p.m. each day. Janelle Monáe will be the Saturday night headliner. Other performers Saturday will include Noah Cyrus, Keke Palmer, Channel Tres and Doechii.
Kylie Minogue will headline Sunday, with other performers including Diplo and Friends, Ashnikko, Trixie Mattel, Big Freedia, Vincint, Destiny Rogers, Jimi the Kween and Zee Machine.
The events will result in multiple street closures, so motorists are urged to avoid the area altogether.
San Vicente Boulevard was closed Thursday night between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, and it will remain shuttered until 10 a.m. Monday.
Additional streets will close Friday and Saturday to accommodate the event. According to the city:
— Eastbound Santa Monica Boulevard will close from La Cienega Boulevard to Doheny Drive at noon Friday, continuing through 7 a.m. Monday.
— Robertson Boulevard will be closed from Santa Monica Boulevard to Melrose Avenue at noon Friday, continuing through 7 a.m. Monday.
— Westbound Santa Monica Boulevard will be closed between La Cienega and Doheny at 6 a.m. Saturday, continuing through 7 a.m. Monday.
— San Vicente Boulevard will close from Santa Monica Boulevard to Cynthia Street at 6 a.m. Saturday, continuing through 7 a.m. Monday.
— Santa Monica Boulevard will close from Fairfax Avenue to Doheny Drive, along with all side streets one block north and south of Santa Monica Boulevard) at 5 a.m. Sunday, continuing through 5 p.m. Sunday, to accommodate the WeHo Pride Parade.
West Hollywood Park, where the festival’s main stage will be located, has been closed since Monday, and it will remain closed through Wednesday. Parking structures and other lots at the park will close Thursday night and remain closed until 10 a.m. Monday.
The city will offer free “Pride Ride” shuttles from Friday afternoon through Sunday to accommodate festival-goers. Select shuttles will run between the festival and the Metro B (Red) Line Station at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue through the weekend.
More details on the shuttles and other modes of transit are available online at www.wehopride.com/gettinghere.
Permit parking restrictions in the city will be lifted throughout the weekend, however, parking meters will continue to be enforced. West Hollywood officials urged people planning to park on streets to be aware of city boundaries, since neighboring cities of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills will continue to enforce permit parking rules.
Limited public parking will be available at the Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave.; Kings Road Parking Structure, 8383 Santa Monica Blvd.; and Hancock Parking Structure, 901 Hancock Ave.