In a statement released by the LGBT Center, PRIDE 2020 is officially cancelled:
“It is with heavy hearts that the Greater Dayton LGBT Center Board of Directors has decided to cancel in-person LGBTQIA+ Pride for Dayton this year. We originally postponed the events for Pride weekend from June to August hoping the local effects of the COVID pandemic would have been minimized by that time. Unfortunately, it is painfully obvious that we are not able to hold large gatherings and parades such as Pride without risking the health and wellbeing of our community. Although it is never easy to make a decision such as this, we decided that your health is the most important thing this year.
Of course, we can’t just skip recognition of Pride during 2020 so we will be shifting our August 22 celebration from in-person to online. We are still putting plans together, but we will be holding a televised and Facebook Live event from 1pm to 3pm. The celebration will be similar to our Pride Stage Show featuring local speakers and entertainment. Please stay tuned for more information and plan to join us online August 22nd!”
With an estimated 5000 people packing Courthouse Square for this annual event, the cancellation isn’t much of a surprise, as the pandemic makes it just unsafe to proceed. Normally a 3 day celebration, with a bar crawl on Friday, parade and festival on Saturday and Sunday is the PFLAG 5K and the Spikes and Heels kickball tournament.
PFLAG has decided they are able to move forward with their Running with Pride 5K on Sunday, Aug 23rd. The race steps off at 9am from Welcome Park on Edwin C. Moses Blvd.
