SEATTLE — This year’s Pride celebrations in Seattle will have a very different tone due to the coronavirus.
“Based off recommendations from the CDC and the Governor, we’ve decided to cancel all in-person pride events in June,” Krystal Marx, the executive director of Seattle Out and Proud said.
Marx added the decision includes festivities for Seattle PrideFest and TransPride Seattle.
“It was really that juggling act of hoping, but realizing, it would not get up to the level of social distancing to where it needs to be,” she said.
Marx says instead they’ll be coordinating a virtual event to celebrate Pride this year. She says it will likely include musical acts and speakers doing a “Ted Talk” style, as well as community engagement opportunities.
Marx says she understands the disappointment for a parade that had close to a half-million people attend last year.
“It’s hard to not celebrate who you are in public when that is the one time where everyone agrees that its okay to do so very loudly and proudly,” she said.
Seattle joins a growing list of cities canceling Pride events this year, including in Olympia, Bellingham, and Portland -- no decision yet from Tacoma or Vancouver.
They’ve also been in contact with city officials to see if there’s any opportunities to reschedule the events later this year.
“Clearly, it’s really difficult to put on a huge parade that stretches so far. So it’s a question of getting creative and working together -- and that’s really what the spirit is.”
Marx also added that she is hopeful this virtual event will allow people to re-connect with what Pride is all about, and says it goes far beyond just a parade in June.