Thousands Plan to Head to Hollywood to Celebrate LA Pride

Thousands of people are expected to line the streets of Hollywood Sunday for the 56th annual LA Pride Parade, one of the region’s largest celebrations of LGBTQ+ pride, visibility and community.

The parade, produced by Christopher Street West, is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Sunday and will follow a route through Hollywood that organizers say closely mirrors the path of the city’s original Pride marches in the 1970s.

The parade route will begin at Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue, travel north to Hollywood Boulevard, continue east to Cahuenga Boulevard and then head south back to Sunset Boulevard, according to organizers.

This year’s grand marshals are actor Jeff Hiller as celebrity grand marshal, longtime transgender rights advocate Mia Yamamoto as community grand marshal and the late Shirley Raines, who died in January, will be honored posthumously as legacy grand marshal.

Organizers said the honorees were selected for their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community and their commitment to visibility, advocacy and inclusion.

Following the parade, Hollywood Boulevard between Vine Street and Gower Street will be transformed into LA Pride Village, a free public festival scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The event will feature live entertainment, food vendors, nonprofit organizations, community activations, local businesses and exhibits reflecting the diversity of Los Angeles’ LGBTQ+ community, organizers said.

Scheduled performers include Bentley Robles, Princess Superstar, Cassidy King, Nekeith, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Amber Ryann and CANDIACE.

Additional programming will include a showcase featuring cast members from the first season of “King of Drag,” a celebration of queer Latinx culture presented by Preciosa Night and the LA Pride Ball presented by the House of Ninja.

Organizers said Pride Village also will include Family Grove, a family-focused area; Trans Galleria, an art exhibit featuring works by transgender artists; Erotic City, a space dedicated to the kink and BDSM community; nearly 20 food trucks; and more than 100 exhibitors, vendors and sponsors.

“LA Pride has always been about creating spaces where our community can come together in celebration, solidarity and visibility,” Christopher Street West Board President Lawrence Carroll said in a statement. “These events reflect the many ways Pride lives throughout Los Angeles, from cultural institutions and sports arenas to neighborhood gathering spaces and, of course, the streets of Hollywood.”

Christopher Street West was founded in 1970 and organized what is considered the world’s first permitted LGBTQ+ pride parade. The nonprofit continues to produce LA Pride events and advocacy programs throughout the year.