Pride Fort Lauderdale

Pride Fort Lauderdale, formerly known as Pride South Florida, is the oldest Pride celebration in FL. Mission Statement:
Greater Fort Lauderdale Pride, Inc.

exists to unite and empower the LGBTQ+ community of South Florida through leadership development, educational scholarships, community grants, and events that reflect our values of Participation, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Education. Values:
Participation: We foster a spirit of teamwork, sharing, collaboration, self-expression, and belonging. Respect: We show consideration and gratitude for

others, our environment, we lead with love and kindness, and grant others dignity, freedom, grace, and understanding. Integrity: We model courageous honesty, building trust in our words and actions through good stewardship and accountability. Diversity: We honor the importance and power of including different backgrounds and perspectives to reach equality, together. Education: We strive to be a source of knowledge and empowerment for our community, making a difference by using our passion, creativity, and adaptability to build new leaders. Our History:

Anita Bryant is an American singer who made a series of television commercials for Florida orange juice. She is most remembered today for her vehement opposition to anti-discrimination ordinances. A member of the Southern Baptist church, she is remembered for campaigning in the 1970s to repeal a local ordinance in Miami, Florida that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In 1977, Florida’s Dade County (now Miami-Dade County) passed a human-rights ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In response to this, Bryant led a highly publicized campaign to repeal the ordinance. The campaign was waged based on “Christian beliefs regarding the sinfulness of homosexuality and the perceived threat of “homosexual recruitment” of children and child molestation.”

Indeed, the concerns over homosexual recruitment of children inspired the name of Bryant’s political organization, Save Our Children. Among Bryant’s assertions during the campaign were “As a mother, I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children; therefore, they must recruit our children. On June 7, 1977, Bryant’s campaign led to a repeal of the anti-discrimination ordinance by a margin of 69 to 31 percent. The following day, Bryant stated, “In victory, we shall not be vindictive. We shall continue to seek help and change for homosexuals, whose sick and sad values belie the word ‘gay’ which they pathetically use to cover their unhappy lives.”

In the aftermath, legislation was passed outlawing adoption by gays and lesbians in the state of Florida and Bryant led several more campaigns around the country to repeal local anti-discrimination ordinances. The ordinance was defeated by electoral repeal in early June of 1977, but the spirit and cooperation among gay groups and activist remained undeterred. The Coalition formed a sub-committee that planned and organized a protest celebration for National Gay Pride Day on June 28, 1977 to commemorate the Stonewall Riots. Several hundred people marched through Coconut Grove carrying signs and shouting slogans, ending in a street party. Trying to muster pride in the face of defeat, Gay Pride in South Florida was born. The birth of Pride in South Florida had to do with the political process that was unfolding. In 1978 activists collected names to put the gay rights ordinance back on the ballot, the first time in U.S. history that gays & lesbians used the political system to place a pro-gay initiative on an electoral ballot. The referendum was again defeated, but the 1978 Pride Parade and Rally grew to 1500. The march occurred annually in Miami and continued to grow in size and scope. Dade County, in 1998, repudiated Bryant’s successful campaign of 20 years earlier and re-authorized an anti-discrimination ordinance protecting individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The statute forbidding adoptions by gay persons in Florida, however, remains the law. Though early marches were held by and in Dade County, the Broward County Coalition for Human Rights was always an active participate. In 1980, the subcommittee of the Dade County Coalition that planned and organized the past Pride Parades, lead by Marty Rubin, filed for incorporation as a separate group to represent both Dade and Broward counties. The South Florida Gay & Lesbian Pride Committee was created and organized the annual Pride Parade. In 1980 a rally in downtown Miami’s Centennial Park was added to the end of the parade. In 1982, the committee caused controversy by abandoning the Parade in favor of an indoor festival to encourage participation by closeted gays and lesbians not willing to be seen in public. The 1982 festival, held at the Hollywood Sportatorium, featured booths for businesses and organizations and brought together hundreds of people that would otherwise not have participated in a public parade or rally. In 1984, the Parade was brought back and Pride was expanded to a full week of events. The indoor festival was moved to the Coconut Grove Exhibition Center and grew to over 5000 by 1985. In 1991, under pressure from bisexual and transgender activists, the committee adopted the name Pride South Florida. Pridefest stayed at the Coconut Grove Exhibition Center, but the Parade and Rally was moved to Ft. Lauderdale for the first time. Pride Picnics were held with the New Name in Dade and Palm Beach Counties. Pridefest now had over 130 exhibitors, and in 1992 moved to the Broward County Convention Center where it could all fit indoors, out of the heat and June downpours. It remained there until 1995 when rising costs forced it back to the War Memorial Auditorium and tents in Holiday Park. Rain and heat were a continuing problem for Pride in June. The rainy season frequently canceled the Parade, and put a damper on Pridefest, forcing the thousands of Pride revelers to seek shelter in the Auditorium and the Tents. In 1998, Pride South Florida made the controversial decision to split Pride and move Pridefest from June to February, to capture the winter tourists and the better weather. Pridefest ’98, or Winterfest as it was called, was moved to Mills Pond Park and drew over 11,000 people. After a heated town meeting in 2000, Pride South Florida decided to move the Parade and associated Pride festivities to February. In the winter, Pridefest attracts thousands of visitors from around the country and hundreds of exhibitors, becoming the largest Pride Festival in Florida. Pride in South Florida started as a protest and has grown as the political strength of the LGBT community grew. From the early activists marching along 21st Street Beach in 1972 to the hundreds marching in protest of the Save Our Children campaign in 1977, South Florida’s Pride celebrations have been rooted in Protest. In the 70’s South Florida activists made national history in their fight against Anita Bryant and her crusade. Their efforts inspired and galvanized gays and lesbians across the country and prompted a national boycott of the orange juice industry. In the ’80s, AIDS challenged Pride to give visibility to a new issue. Pride assumed a responsibility to remind the city and the media of the lives being lost to AIDS. In the 1990s AIDS phobia fueled a growing fervor of religious extremism. “Ex-Gay” ministries claimed that Gays can change their sexual orientation through Jesus, in a controversial “Truth in Love” campaign. In 1998, more than 3000 South Floridians rallied to protest Reverend D. James Kennedy of the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and his “hate campaign guised as Christian love.”

Currently, the State of Florida still provides challenges. Pride is an opportunity to take a stand against oppression and celebrate the strength and resolve of the LGBT community. In Pride, both celebration and protest are alive and evident, in South Florida. Pride Fort Lauderdale remains as a large Pride Festival in the state of Florida with thousands of attendees and up to 250 vendors.

02/01/2026

Discounts at our sister Pride, Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade & Street Festival. www.StonewallPride.lgbt

08/05/2025

ONLY 4 DAYS TO GO!

🌈🔥 On Saturday, August 9, PrideFête 2025 lights up Wilton Manors like never before. Be there! 💥🌴 🎉💃🏽

🏳️‍🌈 Expect nonstop music, flavorful eats, dazzling looks, and the fiercest Carnival Fit Contest yet🌴💃🏽🏳️‍🌈

🕕 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
📍 Richardson Historic Park and Nature Preserve, 33305
🎫 https://shorturl.at/Ad91U

Photos from Pride Fort Lauderdale's post

02/15/2025

Pride Fort Lauderdale Drag Queen Bingo- February 16th, 2025- Hosted the 3rdt Sunday at Wilton Collective in their event area Hideawayon26

Please join our host Kitty Meow, Pride Fort Lauderdale, and Wilton Collective as they host DIVA Drag Queen Be My Valentines Bingo. A fabulous afternoon of cocktails, drag, bingo and many surprises.

Doors open at 1:00pm, arrive early to get a good seat Bingo starts promptly at 2:00pm, Dauber’s UP!

BINGO PACKS_RAFFLE TICKETS 3 on 1- Single Pack
$10.00
4 sheets- 3 games per a sheet

9on1-FunPack
$20.00
4 sheets- 9 games per a sheet

Extra Cover All $5.00 1 sheet-6on1

DIVA BINGO PACK $30.00 9 on-1 Fun Pack
Bonus 6 on 1 Cover All
20 Raffle Tickets

Raffle Tickets 10 for $5.00

50/50 tickets
1 ticket $5.00
5 tickets $20.00

Sign up and join our DIVA Bingo Club. First bonus give-always after your first 6 punches, 12 punches will complete the card and get a bonus bingo card and raffle tickets-

Born in February? - let us know, Monthly Birthday Celebrations we got a special birthday surprise for you 0-69 Shots- Whenever we call O-69 everyone gets a shot -

Chubby Bunny- call a false BINGO and you get to play chubby bunny with Kitty LIVE Auctions- Ages 21+ ONLY

Your Bingo hosts: Kitty Meow, Ernie and Jason
1414 26th Street , Wilton Manors 33305
Lots of free parking – Ages 21+ Only

02/14/2025

National Condom Week- February 14th to 21st- the perfect reason to talk to those around you about the importance of using condoms to prevent both STIs and unplanned pregnancies. Because only internal or external condoms protect from both. When used correctly, condoms are 98% effective.

02/07/2025

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
February 7

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) is an HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative for Blacks in the United States and across the Diaspora. There are four specific focal points: Get Educated, Get Tested, Get Involved, and Get Treated.

02/04/2025

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT INFORMATION:
HOTspots Happening Out
Jeffrey Sterling, Co-CEO
754-200-1794
[email protected]

Darren Loli, Co-CEO
(954) 900-8863
[email protected]

PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA’S OLDEST PRIDE CELEBRATION
BECOMES PART OF THE HOTspots HAPPENING OUT LGBTQ MEDIA AND EVENTS
UNIFIED NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP
America’s Only LGBTQ Nonprofit To Have Three Pride Parades And Festivals In The Face Of Growing Anti-LGBTQ Actions Aimed At Diversity

For immediate release:
(February 4, 2025, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

Our Breaking News Story In Q***r News Tonight:
BREAKING NEWS: Pride Fort Lauderdale Future Decided And Joins HOTspots Happening Out Partnership

History was made today when the board of Greater Fort Lauderdale Pride Inc, a nearly 50 year old nonprofit organization became part of the HOTspots Happening Out Media and Events unified nonprofit partnership.

The union makes Pride Fort Lauderdale, the official event of Greater Fort Lauderdale Pride Inc, stronger. The Board of Directors stated that it “seeks to increase the resources available to them to assist in the growth of Fort Lauderdale Pride to be as successful as possible while positively impacting a broad section of the LGBTQ+ community. This move is necessary considering the new changes in society that have increased the difficulty and challenges for the LGBTQ+ community as well as other minority groups.”

Pride Fort Lauderdale’s importance is self-evident as it formed in 1977 just 8 years after the Stonewall Riots and is the oldest Pride celebration in Florida. Ernie Yuen, Pride Fort Lauderdale's Executive Director said this was needed to stand against what we as a community are watching in today's political environment.

“We need a change, something big needed to happen. There is so much opportunity with everyone working together, combining resources, experience, all for the better of our LGBTQ+ community, stated Yeun. “Before this merger, we all used to work and support each other in many different ways, now we will be ONE very strong supportive team working together.”

The Co-CEOs of HOTspots Happening Out, Jeff Sterling and Darren Loli, echoed that need stating that they are excited to have Pride Fort Lauderdale join their unified nonprofit partnership and that it was only able to happen due to the twenty-five year growth and strength of their founding alliance nonprofit, Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride. They believe the deep organizational knowledge and dedicated volunteers of Pride Fort Lauderdale will enhance all the events and media programs within the alliance. In exchange, they will apply all their combined experience and assets to enhance the City of Fort Lauderdale’s nearly 50-year-old Pride.”

The news comes at a critical time for South Florida and the entire LGBTQ community because of the tremendous growth of anti-LGBTQ attacks from Tallahassee and Washington.

Sterling communicated, “our political and social environment is challenging for minority groups, especially the LGBTQ+ community. Our federal and state governments are now actively removing our rights, erasing our contributions, and using the fear of government retribution to intimidate the business community and local governments to strip us of our equality and protection under the law. Our organizations setting aside their differences and working closely together helps strengthen and protect our community from those who would strip us of our dignity as human beings. Today’s news is a powerful response to these challenges.”

The newly expanded HOTspots Happening Out will be one of the few organizations in the nation that will now host three major pride events that will include June’s 25th anniversary Stonewall Pride Parade and Festival in Wilton Manors, August’s Caribbean Pride Festival, PrideFête, and now, February’s Pride Fort Lauderdale.

HOTspots Happening Out
HOTspots Happening Out is the largest LGBTQ+ media & event nonprofit in America whose mission is to inform, educate and entertain the South Florida LGBTQ+ community. Our events touch more members of our LGBTQ+ South Florida community than any other similar organization in Florida.
HOTspots Happening Out represents a dynamic alliance of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations united in their commitment to enhancing the well-being of South Florida's LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Through a multifaceted approach encompassing events, television programming, print media, captivating video content, and engaging social media, we channel all resources and funding towards advancing the social, cultural, and educational facets of our mission, serving our wonderfully diverse community.

Our unified partnership of non-profits include Stonewall Pride, HOTspots Magazine, Happening Out Television Network, PrideFête, Art Walk Wilton Manors, Taste of the Island Wilton Manors, Black History Month Cookout, Pride Skate Night, Happening Out Travel, Sculpture Walk Wilton Manors, The FayWhat?! Show, and Q***r News Tonight, the world's only daily LGBTQ evening news show with 10 million viewers in 2024.

HOTspots Happening Out has more than 100,000 social media followers and Q***r News Tonight is the largest LGBTQ news nonprofit on YouTube.

~ END ~

Golden Girls Flag Bamboo Clack Fan Hand Fan - Etsy

02/02/2025

Pay tribute to everyone’s favorite iconic quartet with the Golden Girls Fan! This fun, nostalgic fan is perfect for pride events, drag shows, or any occasion that celebrates friendship and fabulousness. Made from high-quality materials, this fan brings sass and humor to any gathering. Available now on Etsy—wave it proudly and thank your friends for being there.

Our clack fans are Large, 13 inches in length, made of quality bamboo with a premium satin fabric and feature a heavy rivet.

100% of proceeds from your purchase support Pride Fort Lauderdale, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

We appreciate your support!

Golden Girls Flag Bamboo Clack Fan Hand Fan - Etsy This Hand Fans item is sold by FierceFansAndFlags. Ships from Hollywood, FL. Listed on Oct 5, 2024

01/30/2025

Happy Chinese New Years⛩⛩⛩

01/27/2025

January is Cervical Cancer Health Awareness Month. Prevention and screening are the most important ways to fight cervical cancer. During the pandemic, many people did not get tested for cervical cancer or receive the HPV vaccine (shot) that helps prevent this cancer.❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Even though many COVID restrictions have been lifted, the HPV vaccination rate is 75% lower than before the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And cervical cancer screenings are 35% lower compared with before the pandemic.

01/26/2025

Congratulations City of Hollywood

City of Hollywood Earns Perfect Score in 2024 LGBTQ+ Municipal Equality Index

Municipal Equity Index Score 100

The City of Hollywood earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2024 Municipal Equality Index (MEI) for having programs and policies that are inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equity. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

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Location

Hollywood

Telephone

+17542222234

Website

http://www.pridefortlauderdale.org/

Address

3401 North 29 Avenue
Hollywood, FL
33020

Pride Fort Lauderdale

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