While there aren’t any definitive statistics, Long Beach is thought by many to have one of the largest concentrations of gay people of any city in America. The city is undeniably gay friendly (it boasts a gay vice mayor, Robert Garcia, who is running for mayor, and a lesbian councilmember, Gerrie Schipske.) According to South Florida Gay News, it ranks third among all American cities in the growth of its LGBT population. Those LGBT people live in neighborhoods such as Belmont Heights, Plaza / South of Conant and Eastside, all with especially large lesbian populations, and Signal Hill.
Like LGBT people everywhere, in Long Beach they also play. For that, you’ll want to head down what’s called the Broadway Corridor to the Alamitos Beach area. Yes, that “gayborhood” has lost Hamburger Mary’s, which moved to 330 Pine Ave. in downtown Long Beach last year. But for gay men there’s still Paradise Piano Bar and Restaurant, Club Ripples, the Falcon and Mineshaft (where you’ll be as comfortable in a t-shirt and jeans than leather.) For lesbians there’s Debra’s, Doll House and Vixen Den. Out of the Alamitos neighborhood you’ll find Piston’s, a favorite of the leather crowd, the Crest, Dolphin Bar and Silver Fox. The best resource for bars and clubs and restaurants in Long Beach is GayCities.com.
You’ll notice that Alamitos Beach has a distinctly different feeling from West Hollywood’s Boystown. In Long Beach there’s more of a comfortable mix of gay and straight people. The vibe on any given evening is more likely to be neighborly than “party time.”
But this weekend it’s party time that you’re likely to experience. It all starts Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Bixby Park, where the Long Beach lesbian community gathers for the second annual rally and Dyke March. Guests include author and activist Jeanne Cordova, 2nd District Councilmember Suja Lowenthal and local leaders Judi Doyle and Vanessa Romain. The evening’s festivities will conclude with a party at 8 p.m. at Ambrosia Café, 1923 E. Broadway, with music performed by songwriter and drummer Michelle Mangione.
The annual Pride festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday on Shoreline Drive. On the Sunday, you can get an early start by attending (or joining in) the Long Beach Pride Run, which begins at 8 a.m. at East Ocean Boulevard at Junipero Avenue next to Bixby Park. There are 5K and 10K runs for students ages 24 and under (advance registration $25) and others over 25 (advance registration $35.) The fee is $40 for those who register the day of the race. Registration can be done online.
The runners and those who watch them will have time to cool off before the Pride Parade begins at 10:30 p.m. Sunday at Ocean Boulevard at Cherry Avenue. Parade goers will be entertained by the Cheer LA cheerleading squad and Hamburger Mary’s drag queen Brunchettes, hosted by Jewels. The floats and bands and marchers will proceed down Ocean Boulevard to Shoreline Drive, where the annual Pride festival is staged.
This year the parade grand marshal is Ross Matthews, host of “Hello Ross” on E! TV. Others honored with marshal titles are Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, who has been named the Morris Kight political grand marshal for his support of the Long Beach LGBTQ community; Giovanna Martinez, youth services coordinator for the Womens Shelter of Long Beach, who has been named female community grand marshal for working to curb domestic violence, and Dale Warner, a co-owner of the Hamburger Mary’s restaurant chain, who is the male community grand marshal. Jim MCDonnell, the Long Beach police chief, has been given the “Whitey Littlefield” community bridge building award, and Kyle Bullock of the Long Beach Gay & Lesbian Center, is being recognized for his work there. Also participating will be Miss Nicaragua International, Indira Rojas Calderon.
The festival has six dance and performance areas. The main stage has a variety of performers booked for Saturday. They include Aunjel Adams, Donovan, Vinita, Lindsay Smith, Dream Chase Collective and Troy Jones during the day and DJ Spark, Lunden Reign, Pamela Williams and Kelly Rowland in the evening.
Saturday night there will be many celebrations, but perhaps none so hilariously appropriate than the Queen Mary party presented by Justin David. Designed to appeal to all of Pride’s Queens and Marys and those who love them, the event will have a sailor theme. It will take place from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on the famous ocean liner, docked at 1126 Queens Highway. DJs and producers Wayne G and Ryan Kenney are offering choreographed laser shows and dancing on the open air top deck dance floor with the Long Beach harbor skyline as a backdrop.
Tickets, $29 if bought in advance and $40 at the door, can be purchased online. Guest rooms for an overnight stay are available from $159.
Sunday starts out with a 12:40 p.m. performance by the 1st Congregational Church Choir. Other daytime performers are Nicole Santiago, Twisted Angels, Travis Foxx, Karina Nistal and Eryn Woods. Evening performers are Jay Justified, Cumbia Sun, Corday, CeCe Peniston and Cazwell
On both Saturday and Sunday the festival offers up country performers such as the LA Wranglers and Chely Wright (8 p.m. Saturday.) Other themed events on both days include Latino Caliente, with a variety of DJs and live performances by Fedro, Tatiana, Belanova and Jesse Medeles and Urban Soul.
long beach pride is also more about including gay men of color and lesbians. LA Pride is less inclusive and segregated.
I live in West Hollywood but I believe Long Beach’s Festival is alot more fun. One of the top reasons is it’s mostly staged on a grassy park instead of hot asphalt. In addition the West Hollywood festival has become very difficult to get around with lots of dead-end walkways. Lastly W.H. Pride Festival is to crowded and to expensive to get in. I’ll drive an hour perhaps but the vibe is better and it’s just more fun and relaxing.