The West Hollywood City Council unanimously approved a five-year extension of its production services agreement with JJLA for the OUTLOUD Music Festival and WeHo Pride Parade during its April 7, 2025, meeting, securing the events through 2030. The decision, part of a broader WeHo Pride planning update, was finalized in the council chambers at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard, reinforcing the city’s commitment to its signature LGBTQ+ celebration.
Item E.3, presented under unfinished business, included seven recommendations, with two key votes extending JJLA’s role. The council amended a three-year Exclusive Event Production Services Agreement—originally set to conclude in 2025—to cover 2026 through 2030, adding $2.25 million in guaranteed fees to be budgeted annually. A parallel multi-year co-sponsorship and permit agreement was also approved, allowing JJLA to stage OUTLOUD at West Hollywood Park and the WeHo Pride Parade on Santa Monica Boulevard through 2030, with city sponsorship amounts determined yearly. Both measures authorize the city manager to execute related documents.
Kerry McCormack, Event Services Coordinator, briefed the council, noting OUTLOUD’s integration into WeHo Pride since 2022. The ticketed festival, produced by JJLA, covers its own production costs, such as talent and infrastructure, while reimbursing the city $90,000 annually for public safety expenses. A $25,000 security deposit per event addresses potential park damages. The 2025 lineup, set for May 31 and June 1, features Lizzo, Lil Nas X, and Paris Hilton, among others, following a free Friday night concert on May 30.
Discussion was brief. Councilmember Meister disclosed a potential conflict—her organization had contacted JJLA for services, though no deal existed—but the city attorney cleared her to vote, citing no financial interest under the Political Reform Act. No public speakers addressed the item, which Meister suggested should have been on consent, reflecting its routine nature. Councilmember Hang praised JJLA’s partnership, saying, “It’s only gotten better every year,” while Mayor Byers lauded the firm’s reliability amid national Pride funding challenges. The motion passed without recorded dissent, as confirmed by Byers’ statement, “okay motion passes.”
The staff report traces JJLA’s role to a 2022 council directive, following the inaugural WeHo Pride’s success after decades of Christopher Street West programming. A September 16, 2024, directive prompted negotiations to extend beyond 2027, culminating in this vote. The extension builds on three years of “increasingly successful events,” aiming to sustain momentum. Annual scopes and budgets will be set via addenda, with $7.224 million already allocated for WeHo Pride 2025 in the FY25 budget.
Additional approvals included $225,000 for Meridian Rapid Defense Group Rentals, LLC, to secure 2025’s traffic control infrastructure—barricades used at events like the Super Bowl—and $80,000 for a WeHo Pride contingent at the WorldPride Parade in Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2025. Both draw from unallocated General Fund reserves. Community group co-sponsorships, capped at $150,000, were also authorized, leveraging FY25 funds.
Councilmember Meister proposed a future senior discount for OUTLOUD tickets, though no action was taken. Mayor Byers clarified the WorldPride focus, distinguishing it from LA Pride overlap, citing last year’s logistical issues. The staff report aligns the extensions with General Plan goals for cultural vitality and diversity, noting extensive business outreach to mitigate street closure impacts, like those on Santa Monica Boulevard from May 30 to June 2.
The vote cements JJLA’s role in West Hollywood’s Pride landscape, balancing event growth with fiscal planning. With no opposition voiced, the council’s decision positions OUTLOUD and the parade as fixtures through the decade, pending annual budget approvals.
