Venice Pride 2022 is Kicking Off Pride Month in Los Angeles

February 11, 2022

fullsizeoutput_53c-4 — Photo by Adam Fossier courtesy of Venice Pride

Venice Pride 2022 is kicking off Pride Month on June 3-5 with a first-ever parade down L.A.’s world famous Venice Beach Boardwalk. The two-day festival at Windward Plaza will include a nightly Global Rainbow installation. Celebrated the first weekend in June since 2016, this year will mark Venice Pride’s fifth annual celebration of the LGBTQ community in L.A.’s coastal region following a two-year pandemic hiatus.

“Venice Pride began as a grassroots effort to create new opportunities for social connection among LGBTQ Angelenos on the Westside and beyond,” said Venice Pride executive director, Grant Turck. “We’ve witnessed a beautiful revitalization of our community over the last five years. As we come out of COVID, we’re bursting with excitement to celebrate again with everyone in triumphant ways this June.”

In 2018, Venice Pride flew the world’s largest free-flying Pride flag at Venice Beach for Venice Pride weekend.

This year, festivities will begin with the L.A. premiere of Artist Yvette Mattern’s laser light art installation Global Rainbow on Friday, June 3. The installation, which has appeared all over the world, will paint the sky with seven powerful lines of color representing the rainbow color spectrum from Venice to Malibu through Sunday, June 5.

Kobe, Japan – 2020. Photo by Yvette Mattern

The two-day, ticketed, Venice Pride 2022 Festival at Windward Plaza featuring a community stage and booths will be open to all ages and is set for Saturday, June 4, and Sunday June 5 from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Gaywatch, a popular monthly queer dance party in Venice, will offer adults 21+ their own space within the festival. Festival tickets will be $10.00 per day and go on-sale online on March 8 at 12:00 PM.

Professional or emerging LGBTQ+ performers interested in the opportunity to perform at the Venice Pride Festival are encouraged to apply online. The inaugural Venice Pride Parade down the Boardwalk will round out the weekend on Sunday, June 5 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Festival vendor and parade contingent registration opens online February 18 at 12:00 PM.

Venice Pride is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to save lives through acceptance of diversity. The mission of the organization is to celebrate the unity of Los Angeles’ coastal LGBTQ+ community, its friends and supporters through public art projects, events and ongoing outreach that inspires, commemorates and supports diversity with the unique and eclectic spirit that embodies the Venice neighborhood.