Coronavirus
Tacoma Pride street festival canceled over coronavirus concerns
Originally set to take place on July 11, the 2020 Tacoma Pride street festival was canceled Monday due to concerns over safety associated with the coronavirus.
The host of the yearly event, the Rainbow Center, released a statement explaining the reasoning:
“The dual issues of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic crisis have created a world of unknowns. Many businesses and activity centers have been closed or operating under severe restrictions. It remains unclear whether it will be safe to gather in groups of any significant size well into the summer. For all these reasons, Rainbow Center will not hold a street festival to celebrate Tacoma Pride in 2020.”
The annual event draws upwards of 15,000 attendees to Pacific Avenue, as well as the surrounding businesses, with vendors, music, and programming centered around the LGBTQ community.
Rainbow Center executive director Troy Christensen said in a phone interview with The News Tribune the decision was not easy.
“We’re concerned that we’re not going to provide a really important service that our community expects from us each year. Even though we’ll be doing smaller gatherings, it’s not the same as having the large event that people have grown accustomed to,” Christensen said. “It was a really difficult decision, especially given some of the things that are happening at the federal level around LGBTQ rights at a time when we need to be as visible as we can be.
“Now we’re not going to be as visible.”
But, Christensen said, safety was the paramount concern and something organizers weren’t willing to risk even if the stay-at-home order might be lifted by then.
“We just can’t imagine that it’s going to be reasonable by July to have an event that size,” he said.
The event last year, while not billed as a fundraiser, brought in revenue which is likely to be lost.
“We made about sixty thousand more than we spent last year,” Rebecca Rossi, director of development, said in the same phone interview.
Rossi said there aren’t going to be layoffs associated with the cancellation of the event, but 60 vendors who have registered will no longer be able to work the event.
Additionally, the event has required the hiring of other help, such as nearly 75 to 100 outside contractors, who will also no longer be getting the work.
“It’s technically not a layoff, but there is still a big community impact,” Rossi said.
The plan is to work with local businesses to have some sort of Pride event on a smaller scale. One such business is The Mix, a popular bar and nightclub.
In an Instagram post, The Mix announced last week it would be canceling its Official Tacoma Pride Block Party.
“After much research and deliberation, we have decided that we will not be hosting our annual Official Tacoma Pride Block Party on July 11th. It is our responsibility as an LGBTQ+ event space that we protect our community and follow the guidelines given to us,” according to the post.
Tacoma Pride organizers are trying to remain optimistic.
“It definitely is a hard decision and still is,” Rossi said. “It’s a day where there is just so much visibility and such a wonderful community feel. Right now with the way that community gatherings are looking all over the country, it’s sad to cancel one that is overwhelmingly positive and colorful and supportive.”
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