Organizers for the San Francisco Pride parade and celebration have canceled this year’s festivities to keep up with projections that large events won’t happen by the end of the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The events aren’t scheduled until late June, but Pride’s Executive Director, Fred Lopez, told KCBS Radio that it was an especially hard decision because this was to be the 50th celebration in the city.
“We’re all incredibly heartbroken and disappointed,” Lopez said.
But he said that in the end, its organizers knew it was the right decision, especially in planning an event the size of Pride, which sometimes attracts almost one million attendants.
“The health, well-being, the safety of our community is of the utmost importance to us,” Lopez said.
Canceling the events now—as opposed to after contracts are signed and supplies are purchased—saves the organizers money, which could be used to help promote LGBTQ+ causes.
Lopez said that although they won’t be collecting donations at the gate, they’ll be asking for support in other ways throughout the year.
“We obviously always enjoy donations from the community,” Lopez said. “You can visit our website at SFpride.org to learn more about this and the amazing community organizations we support.”
Lopez said that Flags will still go up on Market Street and honoring community Grand Marshalls online in June, which is LGBTQ+ Pride month.
“We’re finding ways to be creative and innovative through virtual and digital commemorations of Pride,” Lopez said. “Even if we can’t get together in a big group and march down Market Street in an explosion of color and excitement, we are still going to commemorate pride this year, it’s just going to look different.”