On April 16th, an estimated 40,000 revelers headed to Ocean Drive for the third annual Miami Pride Parade & Festival.
That’s right—this year marked only the third year for the parade. But you wouldn’t have know that from the throngs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered folks, and a few thousand of their friends, who descended on South Beach for the weekend.
Grand Marshal Andy Cohen led the parade of more than 60 floats and other groups, which included 43 “Legacy Couples.” The couples were honored for their long-term commitments—the most enduring passing the 57-year mark.
The Pride Parade also welcomed the first appearance by the Miami LGBT Visitor’s Center (gogaymiami.com) – the country’s first queer-centric tourist bureau. In an encouraging show of support for the LGBT community, the Visitor’s Center is sponsored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and housed in the civic center just a few dozen feet from the Miami Beach police headquarters and other city agencies.
The small LGBT Visitor’s Center team works with tourists and locals to boost awareness and promote Miami as a major international gay and lesbian destination.
If the turnout for this year’s Pride Parade & Festival is any evidence, Miami is a definite scene!
(Also ladies, while Pride is a celebration for the whole community, Aqua Girl is the women’s weekend in Miami. Check it out this year from May 11 to 15 in South Beach.)