Three fun-filled days honoring the LGBTQ+ community were concluding Sunday with West Hollywood’s annual Pride Parade, featuring music, dancers, floats and marching contingents.
The parade began at noon, starting at Crescent Heights and Santa Monica boulevards, and traveled westbound along Santa Monica into the Rainbow — a stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard from La Cienega Boulevard to Doheny Drive, with rainbow flags and multicolored crosswalks at San Vicente Boulevard — to Robertson Boulevard.
The Parade Icons were actress-model Cara Delevingne, Emmy-nominated actress and filmmaker Nava Mau, “Love on the Spectrum” star Pari Kim, and former UCLA and Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe.
Each year, Parade Icons are selected for their significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ community, visibility, civic involvement and advocacy.
“They’ve each made a big difference in popular culture by shining a light on LGBTQ+ voices, in pushing for social justice, and by helping more people feel seen,” West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers said in an announcement earlier in May. “As we come together for the WeHo Pride Parade, it fills my heart that their work and presence will lift our message of LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality, and our vision for positive change in the world for LGBTQ+ people everywhere.”
“Ground in Pride,” an outdoor wellness event billed as a “queer sunset sound-movement experience,” was set to begin at 7 p.m. Sunday at Plummer Park’s Vista Lawn with a gentle yoga class and conclude with a sound bath.
Also continuing Sunday was the two-day OUTLOUD music festival at West Hollywood Park, which featured headliner Lizzo on Saturday night. Sunday’s scheduled performers include Remi Wolf, Honey Dijon and Paris Hilton.
“Pride Starts Here,” West Hollywood officials said. “For four decades, West Hollywood has been home to one of the largest Pride celebrations in the nation with hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies from around the world traditionally making the city their regular destination during Pride season.”
WeHo Pride kicked off May 22 with the Harvey Milk Day Celebration and José Sarria Drag Pageant, and was followed by the WeHo Pride Arts Festival. Pride celebrations will continue throughout June, which is known as Pride Month.
The separate LA Pride festival and parade will be held June 8, with the parade stepping off at 11 a.m. at Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue.