Long Beach Post Guide to the Return of Long Beach Pride 2022

On July 6, 2022, the Long Beach Post published its weekend guide to Long Beach Pride, written by Fernando Haro Garcia. After a virtual celebration in 2021, the story told readers, the festival and parade were back in person as a two-day waterfront event at Marina Green Park.

The Post walked through the weekend stage by stage. On Saturday, the Colombian cumbia group Sonora Tropicana was set for the Fiesta Caliente Stage at 4 p.m., followed by Compton rapper YoYo on the Urban Soul Stage at 6 p.m. and Madrid-based artist Natalia Jiménez, who blends mariachi and pop, at 7:30 p.m.

has electrified crowds with its cumbia sounds at the Long Beach Pride Festival before

Long Beach Post, on Sonora Tropicana

Sunday began with the parade at 10:30 a.m. on Ocean Boulevard, heading west toward Shoreline Drive. The afternoon brought Nira of Amor Prohibido Band, the Selena tribute group, at 3 p.m., then Gia Banks, the trans activist and dancer featured on Legendary, at 5 p.m. Paulina Rubio took the Fiesta Caliente Stage at 6 p.m., and Iggy Azalea closed the Urban Soul Stage at 8 p.m.

The guide also covered the parts of the festival that are easy to miss in a list of headliners. Gates were open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days, with a silent disco, roller skating, drag competitions and dedicated fun zones for families and for seniors. The Post shared a statement from Long Beach Pride about why the festival had grown in so many directions, explaining that to honor the struggle, celebrate the community and reach new generations, “we need to engage multiple audiences in multiple ways.”

We especially appreciated how the Post’s lineup reflected the Latinx community that has always been part of Pride in Long Beach. Cumbia, Latin pop and a Selena tribute shared the weekend with hip hop and pop, and that mix is exactly who we are.

For many readers, this guide was the moment it felt real. After two years away, there were set times to plan around and a parade route to stake out. We thank the Long Beach Post for helping our neighbors find their way home to the shoreline.

Read the full story at Long Beach Post.