Pride Parade Returns Live in Palm Springs – Uken Report

The Pride Parade usually lasts two hours and is a free event.

PALM SPRINGS —The colorful Palm Springs Pride Parade with the theme, “You Are Included” is back live this year, Greater Palm Springs Pride announced today. Known for its crystal blue skies and year-round sunshine, the city of Palm Springs and Palm Canyon Drive will come alive during the annual Pride celebration on Sunday, Nov. 7.

Spectators will gather along palm tree-lined streets to cheer and support local organizations, activists, marching groups, and themed floats.

The Pride Parade is set to step off at 10 a.m., on Sunday, Nov. 7, in the Uptown Design District on North Palm Canyon Drive at East achevah Drive and travel south to downtown ending at the entrance to the Pride Festival at Amado Rd. Enjoy emcee commentary as parade contingents move along Palm Canyon Drive and pass by official reviewing stands. The Pride Parade usually lasts two hours and is a free event.

In a preparade statement, President of Greater Palm Springs Pride Ron deHarte said, “Our Pride Week calls on the community to gather and embrace our diversity, our resilience, and raise awareness of the collective power of the LGBTQ community. Parade participants help raise awareness of important issues, including immigration reform, racial justice, access to health care, violence against transgender members of our community, and mental health awareness. The Pride parade is an opportunity to gather in celebration and use the platform that Pride provides to peacefully resist hate, discrimination, intolerance, racism, and bigotry added deHarte.”

A special parade contingent will highlight the 71 countries1 that outlaw same-sex relations between consenting adults as a way of demonstrating how far the fight for LGBTQ rights has come and how much work there is still to do for full equality. Seventy-one flags in the Parade will represent a country where it’s illegal to be LGBTQ. These include large parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, with a high intolerance of homosexuality.  Being gay in Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, Yemen, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran is one of the most significant “crimes,” and “offenders” face death. In countries where homosexuality is banned but not punished by death, “offenders” face being flogged or imprisoned.  They are also stripped of their human and political rights and treated as third-class citizens.

A surprise parade entry includes the Executive Board of the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes®️ Women’s Motorcycle Contingent, who will roll into Palm Springs for the organization’s first time in its 45-year history. The throttling engines, loud pipes, and cheering passengers will greet spectators and welcome all motorcyclists who ride in solidarity with the iconic, rebellious, independent women. The queer motorcyclists will be welcomed with thunderous rallying cries, making for a sight to see.

Unique entries in the Parade include LGBTQ supportive businesses, organizations like Brothers of the Desert, PFLAG, Free Mom Hugs, DAP Health, Palm Springs city councilmembers, employees, and the Human Rights Commission. The Desert Winds Freedom Band will return for their 21st year. This year will be the fifteenth appearance of the Palm Springs High School Spirit of the Sands Band and Visual Corps and the tenth appearance for Desert Hot Springs High School “Golden Eagle Regiment” Marching Band.

The Palm Springs Pride parade is known for the significant number of youth marching groups participating from the region’s Gay-Straight Alliance organizations. Up to 500 students representing 56 GSAs are expected to march and represent their school.

COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHAL

Streetbar is recognized for positively impacting the region through many years of support to community organizations and fundraising efforts, large and small. On the 30th Anniversary of Streetbar, the first Gay Bar on Arenas Rd in Palm Springs is celebrated as the 2021 Community Grand Marshal.

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