PRIDEFEST OF THE PALM BEACHES: PALM BEACH COUNTY IS READY TO GET ITS PRIDE ON
By Rafa Carvajal
A record-setting crowd is anticipated for Compass’ Annual PrideFest of the Palm Beaches March 25-26 at Bryant Park in Lake Worth, from noon to 6 p.m. This very popular Pride celebration was voted Best LGBTQ Event of the Year for two consecutive years. Pridefest of the Palm Beaches attracts more than 20,000 people annually who come to celebrate from throughout South Florida and the Treasure Coast. PrideFest has been Palm Beach County’s largest gay and lesbian event since 1992. This year, Compass’ Annual PrideFest of the Palm Beaches will be emceed by local celebrities Melissa St. John and RaeJean Cox.
Transgender activist, Jazz Jennings, will shine as Grand Marshal of Compass’ “We the People” Pride Parade on Sunday, March 26. Jazz Jennings is a world renowned author, speaker, award winning activist, and the star of the TLC docuseries, I am Jazz. The “We the People” parade will feature floats and marchers celebrating pride in the LGBT community in light of the current political climate nationwide. The “We the People” Parade, sponsored by Wells Fargo, kicks off at 11:30 a.m. heading east on Lake Avenue and directly into Bryant Park.
The two-day LGBTQ Pride festival of the Palm Beaches features live music, entertainment, vendors, food and beverages, and lots of fun for the whole family. Attendees to PrideFest will stand proud and celebrate the diversity of our LGBTQ community, in defiance of attempts around the country to roll back rights that we have fought so hard to obtain. In the era of a Trump presidency, we cannot take anything for granted and must be very active and vocal in defense of our civil rights.
I interviewed Ryanmarie Rice Tover, Chief of Staff of Compass Community Center, to learn more about this year’s PrideFest of the Palm Beaches.
Rafa Carvajal: Tell our readers about this year’s PrideFest of the Palm Beaches. What should they expect?
Ryanmarie Rice Tover: PrideFest of the Palm Beaches, or Palm Beach Pride as it is more frequently referred to, is a celebration of this diverse community. The two-day festival promotes pride and encourages individuality. PrideFest is about freedom of expression, love, and family.
RC: Who are the headliners for this year’s entertainment?
RRT: This year, we are proud to have Jazz Jennings join us as Grand Marshal of Sunday’s “We the People” themed parade. The transgender teen activist, author, and star of TLC’s docuseries “I am Jazz” will ride in the Wells Fargo stage coach with her parents to lead the parade down Lake Avenue into Bryant Park.
RC: Who else will be part of the entertainment?
RRT: Local celebrities, Melissa St. John and RaeJean Cox will Emcee the stage which will feature Thea Austin, lead vocalist of Snap!; international DJ Citizen Jane; Michaela Paige; resident DJ and host on Miami’s New Hits 97.3, DJ Legato; Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; Teri Kiowa Catlin; Saskya Sky; South Florida Pride Marching Band; Voices of Pride; Velvet Lenore and Miss Palm Beach Pride Tayanna Love; Saved by the 90s of Florida, the Feeny’s; and Kevin, Virginia, and Jason of the KVJ show - to name a few.
RC: Tell us about this year’s Pride Parade.
RRT: Following the Trump Administration’s move to revoke federal protections for Transgender students, Jazz Jennings will lead the parade of community members committed to protecting Transgender youth because “We the People” means everyone. With a number of marches on Washington and around the country taking place throughout the year, and an LGBT-specific March on Washington scheduled for June 11th of this year, Compass reminds you that in Palm Beach County, we March in March!
PrideFest of the Palm Beaches is hosted, planned, and produced by Compass Community Center, the LGBTQ Community Center of Palm Beach County. The mission of Compass is “to diminish stereotypes by challenging long-standing misconceptions about the character of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.” To accomplish its mission Compass emboldens youth, promotes pride in their community, and acts as an educator, advocate, health service provider, and focal point for community organizing. Compass also promotes awareness of the caring nature of our diverse community by being good neighbors, effective partners and respected participants in their civic responsibilities.
To learn more about Compass and PrideFest of the Palm Beaches you can visit www.compassglcc.com or www.facebook.com/compasscenter.
This was originally published in Wire Magazine Issue 12.2017