Stonewall Pride Celebration returns to Wilton Manors with parade, unity, message of visibility
Tens of thousands are expected to fill the streets of Wilton Manors on Saturday for the 25th annual Stonewall Pride Celebration, a vibrant display of LGBTQ+ pride, resilience and community.
Among the sea of rainbow flags and glowing lights will be people like Andres and Maria Wilken, a father and daughter proudly showing their support.
Parade brings pride, family and security enhancements
The Glow Night Parade, a centerpiece of the celebration, steps off at 8 p.m., lighting up the night with music, floats and crowds decked out in rainbow colors.
"I grew up in a place where you weren't supposed to ask or say anything, so you had to hide who you were," said Joe Moranto. "And these guys nowadays, they can live where they want to be, be who they want to be."
While the event is a party, organizers are taking safety seriously.
More than 100 officers from various departments will be on-site, and new security measures have pushed the festival's budget into six figures for the first time.
"This year it speaks to the metal detectors that are going to be here," said Jameer Baptiste from Stonewall Pride. "If you have a vehicle inside the festival grounds, you have to have a wheel clamp on your vehicle."
A family's pride and a community's message
For the Wilkens, volunteering at Stonewall Pride has become a family tradition.
"I'm the proud father of a lesbian daughter," Andres said.
Sixteen-year-old Maria says that support has made all the difference.
"They were really accepting early on," she said. "That level of support from very early on was really important. I was forever told that my parents would love me no matter what."
Beyond the celebration, the event carries a powerful message in the face of mounting anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
"It's more important than ever that we do the exact opposite, that we come together in bigger numbers than we've seen in decades and really celebrate. We are a part of this community," said Stratton Pollitzer of Equality Florida.
The Stonewall Pride Festival and Street Party kicks off Saturday at 3 p.m.
