Vallarta Virtual Pride 2020

June is known as Pride Month all over the world. It’s a time when the LGBTQ community can come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. It’s also a time to remember how far the community has come in the struggle to gain acceptance and equal rights. Pride Month is a celebration of the beauty of each unique individual. Pride Month reaffirms, in all the colors of the rainbow flag, that love is love.

Puerto Vallarta’s Pride celebrations offer a close up look at the fantastic talent represented in our own LGBTQ community. Vallarta is a popular tourist destination for LGBTQ travellers, so it’s natural that the annual Pride Parade, normally held at the end of May, would be such a spectacular event. The Lazaro Cardenas Park Party offers live shows featuring singers, dancers, artists, Youtubers, DJs and more. It’s joyful, noisy, and so. much. fun. The best part? Everyone is invited to the party, which is just as it should be!

Unfortunately, this year’s Pride celebrations were in danger of being completely cancelled due to public sanitary restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. That didn’t stop some seriously determined volunteers, who set up the Puerto Vallarta VIRTUAL Pride Week on Facebook! More than fifty local businesses and performers signed up to participate during the online event that took place during the week of June 8 - 14, live streamed on their Facebook page.

Our very own Mama Tits teamed up with Effie Passaro and Diego Guerrero in a beautiful musical performance. Local businesses such as Myskova held fashion shows. Paco Ojeda offered lively discussions and interviews about the news and culture that affect the local LGBTQ community. DJs such as Voidlove threw online dance parties with Pink & Proud. In every show, funds were raised for local businesses and performers who have been struggling due to the Covid-19 quarantine measures.

In other words, it was Vallarta Pride. We weren’t physically present, but we were still together as one vibrant, strong, united community, supporting each other in challenging times. And that’s just what Pride has always been about. Stay cool under the sun while showing your PRIDE with one of Erica Maree rainbow hats!