Long Beach Pride 2018 Opens Its First Senior Fun Zone

On March 5, 2018, Q Voice News shared some news that meant a great deal to us: the 35th Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival would include a space set aside for LGBTQ+ seniors, the first in the event’s history.

The Senior Fun Zone was planned for festival weekend, May 19 and 20, 2018, on Shoreline Drive at Marina Green and Rainbow Lagoon parks. Q Voice News reported that the zone would offer bingo, karaoke and Wii games, along with a coffee bar. Tours of the festival grounds were also part of the plan.

For the first time in the event’s 35 year history, Long Beach Pride will host a space for LGBTQ seniors 65 and over.

Q Voice News

Room for Every Generation

Many of the people who built Pride in Long Beach are now in their 60s, 70s and 80s. They marched when it was risky to be seen. They kept showing up on Ocean Boulevard year after year. A festival can be loud and crowded, and a quiet place to sit, play a game and talk with friends makes the whole weekend easier to enjoy.

The outlet also noted that seniors over 65 would get into the festival free with ID, which removed one more barrier for elders on fixed incomes.

Entrance to the festival will be free for seniors over 65 with ID.

Q Voice News

The story placed the new zone alongside the rest of the 2018 festival map: a country tent, the dance stage, the Family Fun Zone, the Fiesta Caliente Stage, a health and fitness area, the main stage and the urban soul area. The parade was set for May 20 along Ocean Boulevard.

We are grateful to Q Voice News for helping spread the word to the elders in our community. The Senior Fun Zone began in 2018, and making sure every generation has a seat at Pride is still close to our hearts.

Read the full story at Q Voice News.