Cleveland’s LGBT Pride is Bigger than Ever

There’s no such thing as too much pride in the city of champions. When Cleveland Pride canceled its Aug. 13 LGBT Pride March and Festival last year, we prepared to throw in our rainbow towel. But Pride in the CLE, a glistening grassroots effort from the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, filled the void and brought a new wave of LGTBQ visibility to Cleveland. Now that both events are back for 2017, we talk to Cleveland Pride CEO Todd Saporito and Phyllis Harris, executive director of the LGBT Community Center, about what to expect when the two factions sashay on to the scene with their own take on celebrating love in all of its glorious forms.

Pride in the CLE 
The Basics: This weeklong festival is as much about civic engagement as it is flying your freak flag. Events include a ride with Bike Cleveland June 1 and a Flat Out kickoff party in the Flats East Bank at 8 p.m. June 2. But you’ll really want to dust off those ruby reds for the real kicker at noon June 3 when hundreds gather in Willard Park to march into Public Square. Fab Factor: Peaceful protest and connecting with the community is the vibe du jour on Public Square, but there will be a beer garden, food trucks and support from organizations such as KeyBank. This is Love: “People want to be visible,” says Harris. “They’ve gone back to the core purpose of why Pride was established and celebrated. Times are scary, but we’re also saying, ‘Our city will protect us.’ ” lgbtcleveland.org

Cleveland Pride
The Basics: Buckle up divas — this June 24 shindig at Voinovich Bicentennial Park makes up for missing 2016 with three stages of music and entertainment, a youth-focused activity center for teens and a special catering menu from Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar. Fab Factor: Glam along to ’80s pop queen Taylor Dayne, whose hits include “Tell It to My Heart” and “Love Will Lead You Back,” as she hits the main stage as part of eight hours of performances from musicians, and drag kings and queens all in an effort to bridge LGBTQ generation gaps. This is Love: “[Pride] is high-energy,” says Saporito. “There’s a moment at every festival where we’ll see someone really understand that they’re not alone. There’s a place for everybody inside the festival grounds.” clevelandpride.org