LAKE WORTH BEACH — The wedding bells will be ringing loudly this weekend as 30 couples will be taking their vows in a mass wedding to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Palm Beach Pride celebration.
Returning for the first time in two years, Palm Beach Pride is presented by Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center. The two-day festival is Saturday and Sunday at Bryant Park in Lake Worth Beach.
The event will feature live entertainment, food trucks, vendors, family activities and Sunday will feature the annual pride parade at 11 a.m. followed by the mass wedding at 1 p.m. The Palm Beach County Clerk’s Office will officiate the ceremony, which was inspired by a mass marriage the clerk’s office on Valentines Day.
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“Every year we have pride,” said Julia Murphy, Compass’ chief development officer. “We wanted to do something different to celebrate 30 years.”
The couples tying the knot at the ceremony on Sunday were required to fill out a registration form provided by Compass and obtain a marriage license at least a week before the event.
“It is awesome,” said Rolondo Barreo, an artist the curator at the Box Gallery in West Palm Beach. “What better way to celebrate than to get married with your whole family and adopted family surrounding you and celebrating?”
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Barreo has an art instillation that will be on display at the festival, which draws more than 30,000 people each year. Weekend weather is expected to be picture perfect and should help draw a big turnout once again. Barreo says it’s different than most pride events as it is geared toward more of a family event.
Organizers assure that hand sanitizer stations will be at the outdoor event and are encouraging social distancing.
More than 115 vendors are expected along with 15 food options. Murphy said the entertainment will be split between the two days, with Saturday reserved for 15 local artists. Sunday will be headlined by Yoli Mayor, a semifinalist on “America’s Got Talent” in 2017.
“They call her the Cuban Adele,” Murphy said of Mayor. “She represents our organization in the way that we want to be inclusive and looking at diversity, and her voice is just extraordinary.”
The event comes at a turbulent time for the LGTBQ+ community with the proposal of what some are calling the “Don’t Say Gay” bill currently being debated in Florida. Murphy said the proposal has been difficult to deal with in the community.
“The sad part is that this is directly aimed at youth, which they don’t have a voice lots of times and this takes their voice away even more,” Murphy said. “It’s disheartening.”
Despite the challenging circumstances presented by the proposal, Murphy says for the LGBTQ community, this weekend’s extravaganza is an opportunity to come together in celebration and unity.
“We unite during crisis and during moments like this, and we’re going to come together and be stronger,” Murphy said. “We’ll never stop fighting for the rights of human beings.”
lrooney@pbpost.com
When: Noon-6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
Parade: The parade starts at 11 a.m., Sunday. The route follows Lucerne Avenue west, then goes south on J Street to Lake Avenue before continuing east on Lake Avenue and ends at Bryant Park.
Cost: Tickets are available for presale at $8 and for $10 at the gate.
Parking: Street parking is available as well as paid parking lots.
For more information: Visit the Palm Beach Pride section of the Compass website.
lrooney@pbpost.com
