The Pride LA Sends a Postcard From Long Beach Pride 2018

A few weeks after the 35th Long Beach Pride wrapped, The Pride LA published a warm look back at the weekend. Its June 11, 2018, “Postcard from Long Beach Pride” followed Sunday, May 20, from the first runners on the shoreline to the last song on the main stage.

The day started early with the Rainbow Run, a 5K or 10K along the coast hosted by the Shoreline Frontrunners of Long Beach, an LGBTQ+ running club. The route ended right where the parade began. The Pride LA caught a lovely moment there with one of our own.

Local Drag legend and parade announcer Jewels, was there to award run finishers with their medals as they crossed the finish line

The Pride LA

Honoring Our Grand Marshals

The outlet listed each 2018 honoree by award. Alexandra Billings served as Grand Parade Marshal. Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez received the Morris Knight Political Grand Marshal honor. Rev. John P. Huffman was the Judith Doyle Community Grand Marshal, Porter Gilberg the Bob Crow Community Grand Marshal, and Jessie Haase and Debbie Lambert the Marilyn Barlow Community Grand Marshals. Kobe James received the Dr. Robert Garcia Youth Grand Marshal Award, and the Port of Long Beach received the Whitey Littlefield Community Bridge Building Award.

Those award names carry our history with them. Bob Crow, Marilyn Barlow and Judith Doyle helped start Pride in Long Beach, and every year their names travel down Ocean Boulevard with a new group of people doing the work today.

Then came the music.

A climax of fun for the weekend, Sunday’s festival was headlined by Sheila E.

The Pride LA

The Pride LA noted that Amara La Negra led the Fiesta Caliente stage and Dani Leigh topped the Urban Soul Stage that same evening, giving the festival’s last night a lineup that reached many corners of our community.

We are thankful to The Pride LA for capturing the spirit of that Sunday, and to every runner, marcher and fan who made our 35th year one to remember.

Read the full story at The Pride LA.