Merchants throughout West Hollywood reported sales increases over last year’s WEHO PRIDE weekend. Events on Friday and Saturday drew large crowds and boosted business across the city. Several restaurant and bar owners cited year over year increases 20% or more.
Actual sales data from BlockParty show a 14% increase from 2024 levels — still off a bit less than 30% from the post-COVID peak record year of 2022.
The City of West Hollywood executed the weekend with precision. Traffic flowed smoothly along Santa Monica Boulevard, and guest amenities — like clean, well-distributed port-o-potties and handwashing stations — were easy to find. Crosswalks were accessible, allowing disabled guests to safely navigate the boulevard.
JJLA lived up to its promise that experience matters. Jeff Consoletti and his team delivered a smooth operation from setup to break down. Noise levels remained manageable throughout the weekend — and we didn’t receive a single complaint.
The WEHO PRIDE team clearly listened to community feedback from last year and put together a fabulous weekend. One choice that raised eyebrows was the selection of Lizzo as a headliner, given her involvement in a high-profile lawsuit involving sexual harassment allegations from former dancers. While some questioned the decision, the weekend still drew massive crowds and brought energy to the city.
And of course, there was the price of drinks — $38 plus tip for a double Red Bull vodka. West Hollywood has a law against price gouging, and it would be illegal for bars to inflate prices that high.
One highlight. The ferris wheel. It was a crowd favorite from start to finish with lines steady all weekend long. Riding a rainbow-colored chair over Santa Monica Boulevard was a dream moment for many.
The layout of the festival was clear and inviting. Booths hosted by nonprofits offered a smorgasbord of love, outreach, and essential services — a fantastic showcase of what makes West Hollywood and our cooperative and collaborative partners so special.
But not everything went off without a hitch. Hot dog vendors once again flooded the streets. Many were aggressive and ignored requests to move from Block by Block security ambassadors — often relocating only to return minutes later. These vendors remain a chronic issue. Code compliance looked the other way or maybe they are getting free hot dogs. Meanwhile, businesses like Micky’s and Gym Bar sell legitimate, permitted hot dogs — and pay their taxes.
Let’s stop the swarm of illegal hot dog carts!
One personal highlight. This year’s WEHO PRIDE Guide. When I parked on Huntley Drive Friday night, there were six packs of 50 in my cart. We set up a stand on the sidewalk, and by Sunday night, only two copies were left. I saved one for Mayor Byers to sign.
This was truly a fun Pride Season. It was inspiring to see the community, new business owners, the city, and public safety officials all come together. I felt a lot of love on the street — thank you to all.
Happy Pride, everybody.
I’m glad businesses did well, but Pride was notably less crowded this year. We watch the Parade at our corner, where WeHo Pride puts the Ferris Wheel. For the first time, no one was riding it during the Parade. In past years, people were riding constantly during the procession. And the area, typically very crowded because of the Ferris Wheel, was notably clear and easy to get around. Very different from previous years. (But at no time were the metal police barricades, introduced last year, ever necessary.) The OutLoud festival seemed less crowded as well. Maybe it was fewer people… Read more »
Sounds like WEHO Pride was mostly a success! Good to hear businesses did well. That ferris wheel sounds super fun! Hope they can sort out the hot dog vendor situation next year, though!
In a major PRIDE Legal Victory, a federal judge on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking Trump’s anti-trans executive orders ❗ Federal prisons must keep providing gender-affirming hormone care and protections to transgender people. In separate preliminary injunctions were granted in cases challenging the Bureau of Prisons policy seeking to transfer transgender women to men’s facilities and terminate necessary medical care, preventing these transfers and ensuring continued access to care.
I just wish the city had put 1/10th the effort they put into Pride into recognizing/ acknowledging Memorial Day. The only thing I saw was a Facebook post stating that some parking regulation would not be enforced and that City Hall would be closed. So much for acknowledging those that gave their lives so that we can be free to express ourselves out loud and proud. Do better West Hollywood. If you can post a half dozen posts about Pride, you can post ONE acknowledging Memorial Day and the significance of it. Thank you.
It tells you a lot about this city. It’s completely detached from the rest of the country. Just a continuous clown show.
More like most of the country which is sparsely populated is a continuous reactionary clown show of long debunked prejudice. So it’s a great thing the state of California with Cities Los Angeles & West Hollywood with their highly distinguished Scientists & Academics guide society back to reality❗👏🏽
LOL
I’m sure you DON’T realize Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, has strong ties to African American history, stemming from its origins after the Civil War. In 1865, African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina, organized the first commemoration to honor African American Union soldiers (most former slaves), particularly the African American soldiers buried in a Confederate prison camp. Decoration Day was founded by African Americans in a ritual of remembrance and consecration, one of America’s first DEI (Diversity Equity & Inclusion) programs.👏🏽