From before you arrive through everything you’ll find inside, this year’s Stonewall Pride will have a different look and feel. From cashless entry to an LED stage to more embracement of the leather community, to a later start of the parade, the experience will be unlike past years.
The party is June 15. Gates open at 3 p.m.
The Glow Night Parade will step off at 8 p.m. The start time has been pushed back in the hopes that afternoon rains will have passed, and cooler temperatures will prevail.
“We want to give Wilton Manors a new experience that enhances the parade. There aren’t a lot of nighttime parades, and we want to stand out,” said Stonewall CEO Jeff Sterling.
The staging area will be around Dairy Queen to City Hall. Fort Lauderdale High School is not being used this year.
The route, from Tulio’s to Bona Italian, remains the same.
Wilton Manors Police is working with other local law enforcement agencies to provide security the day of the event. Many will be in uniform and visible. Others will be more discrete. Snipers and lookouts will be on some buildings, and plain-clothed officers will mingle with the crowd.
Organizers and the city are also working with federal agencies and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Warnings have been issued for the LGBTQ community, but no specific threats have been made (or disclosed) towards Stonewall.
During the most recent city commission meeting, WMPD Assistant Police Chief Darren Brodsky said, “We did receive an alert from our federal partners regarding information from overseas. There was intelligence, as often there is, that suggests there could be threats against LGBTQ+ communities. We are aware of these threats. We have put a plan together that is intelligence based.”
“I can promise this community that we take all threats seriously and will ensure that we have enough resources and personnel that we will act on any credible intelligence.”
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