Wilton Manors is buzzing with activity as preparations for the 25th annual Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival get underway this weekend. Crews were spotted yesterday, diligently working to set up the venue for the celebration, which spans six blocks and features an array of entertainment options for attendees, reported WSVN. Among the highlights of the event, a Glow Night Parade is promised, offering a luminous spectacle with floats and vehicles bedecked in lights, marching up Wilton Drive.
The family-friendly pride event set to start at 3 p.m. today, aims to be a testament to the LGBTQ+ community's resilience and achievements. Tens of thousands are expected to partake in the event, which will be bolstered by heightened security measures, including the presence of over 100 officers from various departments and the introduction of metal detectors. These additional precautions have increased the festival's budget considerably, "This year it speaks to the metal detectors that are going to be here," Jameer Baptiste from Stonewall Pride explained in a statement obtained by CBS News Miami.
Families like the Wilkens see the event as more than just a celebration; it's a tradition and a statement of support. "I'm the proud father of a lesbian daughter," Andres Wilken told CBS News Miami, expressing the importance of acceptance in his family's values. His 16-year-old daughter Maria has found indispensable support in her family's unwavering acceptance, "They were really accepting early on. That level of support from very early on was really important. I was forever told that my parents would love me no matter what," she shared in the CBS News Miami interview.
Apart from revelry, the Stonewall Pride Festival carries a significant message amidst increasing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. "It's more important than ever that we do the exact opposite, that we come together in bigger numbers than we've seen in decades and really celebrate. We are a part of this community," Stratton Pollitzer of Equality Florida emphasized according to a CBS News Miami interview. With the Glow Night Parade as the centerpiece slated for 8 p.m., the event promises to be a dazzling statement of unity and visibility for the community.
