About

About Long Beach Pride™

Long Beach Pride™, a 501(c)3 non-profit, is an all-volunteer organization that produces the annual three-day Long Beach Pride™ festival, parade and teen pride. The third largest Pride festival and parade in California, we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with a focus on inclusion, and work to educate the wider community that diversity builds a stronger and healthier society. Taking pride in what we have achieved since 1984, we strive to teach the future generations that the battle for acceptance continues.

Our History

Long Beach Pride was established in October 1983 and produced the first annual Long Beach Pride Festival & Parade in June of 1984. The Board of Directors felt that with such a large gay & lesbian population, there was a need to increase awareness and to promote PRIDE and a greater sense of self-worth within the community. Additionally, the Board felt it important to facilitate greater cooperation, mutual respect, and understanding between the LGBTQ+ community and the community of Long Beach.
1983

Established

Founders Judi Doyle, Marilyn Barlow and Robert Crow meet at Executive Suite for the first meeting of Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride, Inc (LBLGP, Inc.)

1984

1st Annual Pride Festival & Parade

First Parade and festival, last weekend of June, 5000 people attended at two-day celebration at Palm Island

1985

Alive with Pride in '85

Festival expands to Shoreline Aquatic Park

1986

Forward Together

Main Stage Headliner Eartha Kitt was a no-show

1987

Proud, Strong & United

Sylvester headlined main stage, No on Prop 64 was the Grand Marshal because the threat of restoring AIDS to the list of communicable diseases was defeated by a margin of 71% to 29%.

1988

Rightfully Proud

Members of LB Pride travel to Washington DC to participate in the March on Washington

1989

Stonewall 20

Celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the modern day gay rights movement

1990

Look to the Future

Grand Marshal was Dr. Virgnia Uribe (1933-2019), an American educator that founded the LA Unified School District's Project 10 program that offered educational support and drop-out prevention for LGBT youth.

1991

Together in Pride

Aids Memorial Quilt was displayed onboard the Queen Mary

1992

Pride Equals Power

Assembly Bill AB101 is vetoed. It would have prohibited private employers from discriminating against employees because of their sexual oreintation. Protests occurred and one year later in 1992, the bill was passed.

1993

A Decade of Pride

Long Beach Pride becomes the 4th largest Pride event in the U.S., designates $300,000 for community grants; has 23 members

1994

Stonewall 25:A Global Celebration of Protest and Pride

Budweiser becomes a corporate sponsor

1995

Pride, From Silence to Celebration

Mayor Beverlyh O'Neil is elected Mayor of Long Beach. Pride's membership grows to 24.

1996

Pride Without Borders

Grand Marshal is Candace Gingrich, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's daughter.

1997

Power, Progress, Pride

Festival moves from Shoreline Aquatic Park to Marina Green Park

1998

15 Years of Unity Through Diversity

Festival site expands into the Rainbow Lagoon, adjacent to the Hyatt Hotel and Long Beach Arena. Fiesta Caliente Stage is introduced

1999

A Prideful Past, A Powerful Future

Grand Marshal is open Lesbian Assemblywoman and former child actor, Sheila Kuehl

2000

Take Pride, Joy, and Action

Headliners Little Richard and RuPaul

2001

Embrace Diversity

Headliners Village People, Joan Jett; Festival site is touted as one mile long, the world's longest pride festival site; LB Pride moves into its new facility at 1017 Obispo Avenue

2002

Pride at Home…Pride Worldwide

Grand Marshal is Morris Kight, famous for co-founding Christopher Street West Gay Pride Parade in Los Angeles which marched on Hollywood Blvd on June 28, 1970.

2003

Peace Through Pride

Grand Marshal: Gloria Allred; Main Stage Headliners Pat Benatar and Chaka Khan

2004

"Coming of Age: 21 Years of Pride"

Grand Marshal: Assemblymember Alan Lowenthal, Main Stage: Eddie Money, Tiffany, Sheena Easton. First Friday night concert with Patti LaBelle.

2005

Equal Rights-No More, No Less

Grand Marshal: LB Mayor Beverly O'Neil; Main Stage: Macy Gray, RuPaul, Kimberly Locke and Jai Rodriguez

2006

I Am. I Belong

Main Stage: Mya, Morris Day and The Time, India Arie

2007

`Harmony in Colors

Main Stage: Sophie B. Hawkins, Indigo Girls, Jennifer Hudson and Nemesis. Jennifer performed for a massive crowd which included grandstands from the LB Grand Prix due to expected attendance

2008

I Am What I Am

25th Year. Main Stage: Sheena Easton, The Bangles, KC & The Sunshine Band. Fiesta Caliente presents Kat DeLuna and Ivy Queen

2009

Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights

Grand Marshal: Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco. LB Pride's first earthquake, a 4.7 occurs on Sun May 17 at 3:34 pm rocking the festival. New uniforms, mission statement and corporate logo

2010

One Heart, One World, One Pride

Long Beach hosts the 28th Interpride Conference, Entertainment includes A Flock of Seagulls, American Idol's Allison Iraheta and Fiesta Caliente presents Maria Jose, Edith Marquez and Christian Chavez

2011

Pride Around The World

Entertainers Thelma Houston, Taylor Dayne and Maxine Nightingale

2012

Pride Links us Together

Entertainers include Queen Latifah, Village People and Fiesta Caliente presents Lucia Mendez

2013

30 Years Proud

Grand Marshals are our Founders: Robert (Bob) Crow, Judith (Judi) Doyle and Marilyn Barlow. Headliner: Fantasia

2014

Reflections of Pride

Grand Marshal is comedian Ross Mathews; Pride grows to 34 members; Headliners: Pamela Williams, CeCe Peniston, Kelly Rowland and Dev; Fiesta Caliente presents Belanova and Fedro

2015

Color our world with Pride

Grand Marshal Honoree Mayor Robert Garcia; Headliners Salt N Pepa at Main Stage; Horoscopos de Durango and Fey at Fiesta Caliente

2016

Solidarity through Pride

Grand Marshal: Thelma Houston; Headliners included Neon Trees, Kristina DeBarge

2017

Viva La Vida-Here's to Life

Celebrity Grand Marshal, Lisa Vanderpump and Parade Grand Marshal Senator Ricardo Lara. Headliners Chaka Khan, Jody Watley. Country headliners are Honey County and Ty Herndon

2018

35 Years of Pride

Grand Marshal is Alexandra Billings, actress, singer, author and activist. Headliners include Jussie Smollet, Sheila E, DaniLeigh, Amara La Negra, Ana Barbara

2019

Millions of Moments of Pride

Celebrity Grand Marshal, Kate Linder; Parade Grand Marshal is Long Beach native Drag Queen Delta Works; Headliners include Big Freedia, Roja Alta, Ani, Leopod Nunam to name a few.

2020

Cancelled due to Covid

2021

Cancelled due to Covid

2022

Many Voices, One Spirit

Featured a first-ever Roller Skaing Ring, Drag Makeup Dome, Reload Dance Pavilion, Silent Disco Dome, Transcendence History Dome and entertainment stages featuring Iggy Azalea, Natalia Jimenez and Paulina Rubio

2023

This year, in addition to the stages and musical entertainment, we’ll be creating multiple activations and attractions that will bring guests and sponsors together in an environment that entertains, educates and inspires.

Our Mission

To produce and support activities that educate, encourage and celebrate PRIDE, inclusion, and respect for humanity.

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MEET THE BOARD

Executive Committee

Tonya Martin

President "Lez Prez"

Dr. Cassandra Richards

Secretary

Wayne Manous

Treasurer, VP Festival 

Christopher Duvali

VP Production

Elsa Martinez

VP of Administration

Keshay (Shay) Scott

VP of Entertainment

Board Members

Renea Page

Board Member

Jacqueline Ware

Board Member

Gladys Lopez

Board Member

Debra Kahookele

Honorary Board Member

Ulysses Brand

Extended Member

Daniel Almazan

Extended Member

Nolan Ross Samé-Weil

Extended Member

Lovette McDonald

Lovette McDonald

Associate Member

Eugene De Guzman

Associate Member

Shasha Jurguen

Associate Member

Sandra Amor

Associate Member

Nolan Ross

Associate Member

Lee Kashitani

Extended Member