by Paul Heney
Last updated: 12:10 PM ET, Wed February 19, 2020
Miami Beach Pride has announced its expansion from a week-long event to a nine-day extravaganza for 2020.
This year's festivities will take place from March 28 to April 5. Attendees will discover new events and activations, including a voguing ball and a queer art pop up, celebrating South Florida's diverse and creative LGBTQ+ community while nodding to Miami Beach Pride's 2020 theme: "Let's Have a Ball."
A tribute to the organization's home of Miami Beach, the "Let's Have a Ball" theme salutes the organization's 12-year heritage while showcasing the City of Miami Beach's attributes. Event decor and marketing content will feature popular beach motifs, such as beach balls, volleyballs, palm trees, ocean waves and art deco architecture elements, to amplify the Miami Beach experience for locals and visitors alike.
"In the spirit of our 2020 theme, Let's Have a Ball, we're collaborating closely with our queer art and dance communities to celebrate the beauty of self-expression," said Rich Walczak, executive director of Miami Beach Pride. "The ballroom community is a big inspiration for our theme this year, so we're organizing a ball featuring Jason Rodriguez from the hit FX series Pose and the House of Eon. We're also planning an art pop-up event for local LGBTQ+ artists to share their work with all of Miami Beach."
"At the end of the day, Pride is all about being your true self, and the LGBTQ+ dance and art communities convey this notion so well in their work. And that's what makes our community so special. We each bring our own talents and personalities to the table, and when we all get together, we make magic happen. We're also working hard to make Miami Beach Pride 2020 a more enjoyable experience for everyone. If festival attendees are feeling anxious or overwhelmed, for example, they can go to our calming pavilion until they feel better."
The main event-the 12th Annual Pride Parade-takes place Sunday, April 5, 2020. Beginning at noon on Ocean Drive from 5th to 15th Streets, thousands of Miami Beach Pride Parade participants and spectators will showcase their pride with colorful costumes and fabulous floats.
Following the parade, guests are invited to celebrate their pride once again during the second day of the Miami Beach Pride Festival. Performances from A-list headliners, international DJs, local and world-renowned performers, drag queens and more await. Admission to the festival and parade is free and open to the public. More than 100,000 participants and spectators are expected to attend the two-day Miami Beach Pride Festival in Lummus Park.
The timing for Miami Beach Pride makes a lot of sense-the traditional June Pride celebrations for other cities happen in the midst of hurricane season. Meanwhile, Miami Beach has lovely weather in March and April, which is one of the main reasons they celebrate Pride during this timeframe. Temperatures tend to be in the 70s with low humidity.
"Miami Beach Pride has one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world," said Walczak. "You can feel the ocean breeze while dancing away to beats by legendary DJs and entertainers or take in the city's colorful Art Deco architecture when going for a ride on our Ferris Wheel. There's something for everyone."
"People travel from all over the world to experience Miami Beach Pride year after year because of our city's one-of-a-kind personality. There's so much culture and flavor everywhere you go. You can savor authentic Cuban coffee and food, dance to Brazil's hottest Samba music and shop at internationally renowned boutiques. We're also proud to live in a city that supports its LGBTQ+ community. Miami Beach is one of the few cities to receive a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index year after year."
"The city works hard to represent and protect our community so we can celebrate love for all without fear, and visitors take notice. There's a sense of freedom and liberation in the air that makes travelers want to stay in Miami Beach forever-and many of them do!"
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