BY PAULO MURILLO
PALM SPRINGS
PALM SPRINGS PRIDE ANNOUNCES “SAY GAY” 2022 THEME
Palm Springs Pride organizers announced the theme “Say Gay” for the upcoming parade and festival. The in-person Pride events are scheduled downtown from November 4th-6th. This will be the 36th annual LGBTQ celebration, featuring multiple stages of live entertainment and a marketplace. Palm Springs Pride is the largest annual event in Palm Springs, and the largest gathering of LGBTQ people in the Coachella Valley. In 2021, Pride Week generated $30 million economic impact for area hotels, shops, restaurants and businesses while attracting more than 160,000 attendees.
For more info visit: www.pspride.org.
WEST HOLLYWOOD
WEHO HALLOWEEN CARNAVAL CANCELLED
The 2022 WeHo Halloween Carnaval has been cancelled for the third year in a row. “The City of West Hollywood is reminding the community and the region that the City’s annual Halloween Carnaval has been cancelled for 2022 in accordance with protecting health and safety during the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads a statement on the West Hollywood’s community events page.”
The cancellation of the 2022 WeHo Carnaval dates to the approval of the budget at the regular West Hollywood City Council meeting on June 27, 2022. Attachment C listing the FY 2022-23 Budgeted Special Events (revised 6/27/2022 per Council Action) has the event which began in 1987, as cancelled for the October budget. According to that same budget, the event is currently listed as “not recommended in 2023.”
SAN DIEGO
HEALTH OFFICIALS HOST MONKEYPOX TOWNHALL
Health officials hosted a monkeypox townhall to discuss the vaccine supply, risk factors, and an overall county plan to slow the spread of the infection. Among the questions that came up at the forum was why it was so hard to get the vaccine for the virus. County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric McDonald said that the number of doses that were requested are about a quarter of what is needed to immunize the population.
County health officials said they are advocating at the state level for funding to help those who contract monkeypox, have to quarantine and aren’t able to work. The county is encouraging people to sign up for its text alert system so people can stay up to date with the outbreak happening our region.
LONG BEACH
GAY OWNED FLUFFY’S SNO-BALLS VANDALIZED
Gay-owned dessert shop Fluffy Sno-Balls was vandalized last month. The front door was smashed at 1208 Long Beach Boulevard. Owner Lee-Wellington says it’s the second time his sweets shop was targeted by vandals. “I am an African-American gay entrepreneur,” Lee-Wellington told CBS Los Angeles. “And one thing I know is that I come from a heritage of people who have the strength to get up, get through and get over all the obstacles that come their way.”
LOS ANGELES
EL MERCADO CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS
East LA’s El Mercado celebrated five years last month. The queer farmer’s market served live performances, drag queens, DJs and over 100 food vendors and local artists. Part of the celebration was a performance by select cast members from writer Abel Alvarado’s recent hit show, ARENA: A House MUSICAL-al, which included actors, Preston Gonzalez Valle, Luis Ceja, Milton David, Chrissi Erickson, Amy Melendez and narrator Daniela Hernandez. In addition to the ARENA performance, Queer Mercado also featured some of the work of costume designers with a presentation of a fashion show.
