When it was announced that the Cleveland Pride 2016 festivities were canceled, many were angered. Some were confused, others saddened. A few people even made a petition to get the president and CEO of Cleveland Pride, Inc. to step down.
Now those individuals have an alternate.
The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland announced last Wednesday that it will put on a march and other festivities. “Pride in the CLE” will replace the canceled 2016 Cleveland Pride event.
Pride in the CLE will be held on Aug. 13, the same day as the canceled Cleveland Pride festival. The event will begin at about 11 a.m. with a march across the Detroit-Superior Bridge and into Public Square, with the march ending at about 1 p.m.
According to the news release, the festivities will go on until 6 p.m., with live music, entertainers and “special surprises” slated for the festival.
Funding for Pride in the CLE is provided by The Cleveland Foundation and the AIDS Funding Collaborative, The Center says.
Organizers from 18 separate organizations worked to put together the necessary arrangements for Pride in the CLE. The planners “worked closely with city officials, law enforcement and community leaders to ensure our security,” The Center’s news release says.
“After a successful meeting with the City Steering Committee and receiving their full approval, The Center and the planning committee are confident in providing a safe and secure event that is inclusive and open to everyone,” the news release said.
The Center is hoping that Pride in the CLE “becomes a landmark in Cleveland history and a cornerstone event for our LGBTQ+ community,” the release states.
2016 will be the first year the Cleveland Pride festival will not be put together by Cleveland Pride, Inc. The group has organized the event every year since 1989.