West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne Hosts WeHo Pride Kick-Off Party

West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne joined JJLA for a WeHo Pride kick-off party at Heart WeHo on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, to mark the start of this year’s WeHo Pride weekend festivities during Pride Month. The event was by invite only and an RVSP was required to join this year’s WeHo Pride kick-off event.

Madame Mayor Shyne, along Mayor Pro-Tem John Erickson, and council members Lauren Meister and Chelsea Byers (Council member John Heilman was not able to attend) met with community members for a night of celebration.

Guests included LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, former West Hollywood council members, Abbe Land and Jeffrey Prang (LA County Assessor), Michael Aguilera-Gaudette, the Representative for Adam Schiff, and Davis Han, the District Representative for State Senator Ben Allen to name a few.

Mayor Shyne posed with friends, colleagues and community members at a step-n-repeat in the patio of Heart WeHo during the early portion of the night.

The latter part of the evening included hors d’oeuvre and entertainment. Among the hosts were Billy Francesca and Ryan Mitchell. A live DJ kept the energy going, there were live performances, and a fashion show featured fashions by WeHo Pride sponsor Forever 21.

“I’m so, so excited that we’re able to have pride after the pandemic and to have fun and to be safe, and be happy, given that we are under attack again, which is something we’ve been used to for decades,” said Mayor Shyne. “It’s so wonderful to be able to be proud of ourselves and to love one another and to just be who we are. The reality is, even though they may hate us, our love will always be stronger than their hate.”

The highlight of the night was when Mayor Shyne presented the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence with a key to City, on behalf of the West Hollywood City council.

WeHo Pride Weekend will take place on Friday, June 2, 2023, Saturday, June 3, 2023, and Sunday, June 4, 2023 in and around West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard. For all the latest #WeHoPride information, visit www.wehopride.com and follow @wehopride on Instagram and Facebook.

Highlights for this weekend enclude:

• The free WeHo Pride Street Fair and Women’s Freedom Festival begin at 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 3 and the annual Dyke March will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 3. The Street Fair is located along Santa Monica Boulevard between Hancock Avenue and La Peer Drive. The Women’s Freedom Festival will feature emerging LGBTQ and BIPOC women and non-binary musicians, comedians, poets, and activists will take place at the Community Stage, immediately followed by the annual Dyke March. The WeHo Pride Street Fair will continue on Sunday, June 4. More information is available at www.wehopride.com.
• On Sunday, June 4, 2023, thousands of people will gather in West Hollywood for the annual WeHo Pride Parade, an imaginative and colorful tradition along Santa Monica Boulevard that embraces LGBTQ+ representation, inclusion, and progress. Full of music, dancing, vibrant floats, festive marching contingents, and creative flair, the Parade celebrates LGBTQ people and their contributions to community and culture. Icons for this year’s WeHo Pride Parade will be RuPaul’s Drag Race, Laith Ashley, Niecy Nash-Betts & Jessica Betts, and Melissa McCarthy. KTLA is the official broadcast partner of the 2023 WeHo Pride Parade. For those not able to attend in-person, tune-in for WeHo Pride Parade coverage on KTLA 5, KTLA + and KTLA.com featuring Cher Calvin, Pedro Rivera, the KTLA Family and surprise special guests. Enjoy OUTLOUD @ WeHo Pride and the WeHo Pride Street Fair following the parade.
• The 40-day WeHo Pride Arts Festival continues through June 30, 2023. Events will be live at various locations throughout the City of West Hollywood and will also feature selected online programming. More information is available at www.wehopride.com/artsfestival.
• WeHo Pride community group event programming takes place through June 30, 2023. Details about community group events are available at www.wehopride.com/calendar.
• Other highlights of Pride Month in the City of West Hollywood include the annual Pride Pickleball Tournament, a free Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles concert in West Hollywood Park, and a free combined Lesbian Speakers Series/Summer Sounds event at Plummer Park featuring Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins. More information is available at www.weho.org/calendar.

Information about WeHo Pride Weekend street and facility closures is available at www.wehopride.com/eventmap#closures.

Information about the City’s Pride Ride free WeHo Pride Weekend shuttle service is available at https://go.wehopride.com/3qfnasc.