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The Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade 30 th anniversary celebration is on hold, for now.

It’s a gut punch,” reflects Jefferey Robinson, Co-Chair, and CEO of Fresno

Rainbow Pride’s parent organization, Community Link. The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably changed 2020, and with it, the cancellation of all the large events and celebrations slated for the entire year, including Fresno’s Pride parade. While recognizing and respecting the need to ensure the public’s safety, Robinson explains that it still doesn’t make losing the beloved event any less painful for the community. “[Pride is] almost like a rite of passage. It’s a place where we can be rejuvenated … [when] we feel oppressed or under the microscope or judged, we don’t have the ability to always be as out as we want to be. For many people, they need this event, and others like it to refresh their souls and gather new strength to carry on and move forward.” Fresno’s Pride parade and celebration have, for what would have been 30 years, this year, also served as the kickoff event for ‘Pride season.’ While June is officially dubbed ‘Pride Month’ (in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots that sparked the gay liberation movement), parades and celebrations continue well into the fall— ending in November with Palm Springs’ marking of the occasion. In fact, many California cities don’t overlap dates, making it easy for people to attend multiple events across the state without conflict. Fresno Pride creates a springboard into the exciting months ahead for many in the community By Lisa Talley | lisa@fresnoflyer.com

who then travel to San Francisco, Los Antheir events in the later months. Attemptgeles, Sacramento, or San Diego, for examing to reschedule a massive celebration such ple. But with a pandemic in full swing and as Fresno’s Rainbow Pride Parade outside an unpredictable timeline for a resolution, of their usual time-frame would not only losing the Fresno Pride celebration means likely interfere on an already cramped cala halt to the entire season that was to folendar, but would also create competition for low. A hard-hitting reality for the LGBTQ resources that would limit everyone’s ability community. Acknowledging this, many orto acquire what they need. Something the ganizations have found a way to continue organization sees as ‘stepping on the toes’ of honoring Pride, Fresno among them. many of their neighbors. “We are on pause, and during that “We are going to have the 30th pause or intermission, we’re going to have annual Pride parade when it is appropriate the ‘Quarantine Ediwhen it is safe to do tion’ as a placeholder, so. And if that means something for us to it happens in 2021, connect and celebrate that’s when the acwith our community, tual 30th parade will allies, and friends happen,” Robinson about Pride in generexplains. al,” Robinson shares. In the meanF r e s n o time, Fresno RainRainbow Pride’s origbow Pride has come inal theme was ’30 up with multiple years of Pride,’ a divirtual events to help rect reference to their ease the sense of loss 30 years of work within the community and felt by the community in the canceled paongoing organizing of the event. While this rade. ‘Quarantine Edition’ is a modification of On Saturday, June 6, the organithe celebration, it won’t carry over the initial zation will host its ‘Quarantine Edition,’ theme. The organization also determined live-streamed to their social media accounts. that the parade would not be rescheduled The stream includes a schedule of live perinto the fall when it is likely that large gathformances from Drag Queens and Kings, erings and events would see an authorizamusical sets put together by local DJs, tion to start up again from health officials. pre-recorded videos of community memAccording to Robinson, the decision is rootbers expressing what Pride means to them, ed purely in logistics and an appreciation and sponsors sharing their work on behalf for the other organizers who typically host of the community. Leaders, Grand Mar| FRESNOFLYER.COM | | FEATURED | DINING | CALENDAR | MUSIC | CLASSIFIEDS |

shals, and local politicians will also say a few words. These and archival footage from past parades will grace the stream in a montage of Pride celebration. Shortly after, within a couple of weeks, Fresno Rainbow Pride will host ‘Pride at Home.’ The theme is virtual and encourages people to put together their best Pride outfits and strut their stuff at home. Again, the submissions will stream on the organization’s social media platforms. “Many people spend a lot of time putting together their Pride outfit. Even if you’re a casual guy or gal, you’ve got it kind of planned out with a Pride shirt, beads, a hat, a bow, or something you’ve bought [specifically] for coming out to the Pride parade,” elaborates Robinson. To culminate the month-long celebration, the organization plans to put together a car parade of sorts. Like the drive-by congratulations of birthdays and graduations seen throughout the pandemic – a way to unite in the festivities while honoring the social distancing guidelines – Fresno Rainbow Pride will create a similar moment for the occasion. Participants are encouraged to decorate their cars as wildly and, as Robinson says, “as fabulously,” as possible. The organization will film the event for release on their social media accounts. Details on when and where it all takes place are to be determined. Interested parties can follow Fresno Rainbow Pride online for updates as

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