“I’m still waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out from behind the DJ booth or something,” laughs Emerson, who moved to Miami from Vero Beach, Florida at 18 years old and attended the University of Miami.Įmerson said as a “closeted queer kid growing up in a place like Vero Beach, which some people call the redneck riviera, I’m fully aware of the systematic hate and shame that kept me in the closet. This year’s Celebrity Grand Marshal was LGBT actor, model and YouTuber Max Emerson, who joked when he first got the message asking him to be a part of Miami Beach Pride, he thought he was being pranked. Thank you so much, Bruce Horwich, for having me back and to the amazing Miami Beach Pride team that works so hard taking the best care of every detail and of everyone. “I am always honored to be a part of Miami Beach Pride. “Wow, what an amazing weekend performing, not once, but twice for one of my favorite prides, Miami Beach Pride,” Sacks said. Sacks, who has performed at Miami Beach Pride several times over the years, said she is “always blown away at the events and the hardworking team that plans many events over the course of months for a week’s worth of amazing concerts and parties.” I’m on cloud nine right now and never have I felt more sure of my path and purpose. I’m thankful for all that because being on that stage tonight and sharing that energy with my community and my fans made every sacrifice worth it.
Also, I’m proud that I’m born and raised in Miami and that I was the only act playing with a live band and that I just performed at Miami Beach Pride and that when I was 18 I turned down a full scholarship to college and instead chose to follow my dreams. “I just want to say that I’m really proud that I’m gay and that I rocked that stage tonight. On Saturday evening, Elias posted on Facebook: Elias performed Saturday night at the Celebrity Cruises stage and Sunday afternoon after the parade. Performers included international House artist Beth Sacks and local LGBT singer Robbie Elias, who has toured with Daddy Yankee. I can’t wait until next year.” Photos courtesy of Matti Bower, Kristen Rosen Gonzalez and Alex Fernandez
I got to sell a few families their first Pride flag and I’m so happy I got to experience it. I know it wasn’t easy putting an entire festival together in six months but rocked it. Clevenger, executive director at Pride Fort Lauderdale and former development director at SMART Ride: “Miami Beach Pride was a blast. “The colors, the music, the love and the perfect April weather make it one of my favorite events here on Miami Beach.”Īdded Kevin J. “Pride is the best energy of the year,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, who rode in Sunday’s parade with former Miami Beach Mayor and founder of Miami Beach Pride Matti Bower. Today, it is the leading LGBTQ+ cultural arts organization in South Florida, regularly attracting more than 170,000 attendees annually. The inaugural Miami Beach Pride celebration took place with more than 15,000 spectators, far surpassing organizers’ expectations. Run this year from April 1-10, this was Miami Beach Pride’s 13-year anniversary, as it originally launched in April 2009. Miami Beach Pride is a multi-day celebration of arts and culture for the LGBTQ+ community, featuring special events, family-friendly activations, social mixers and world-class entertainment. That’s how Paul Thomas, member of the Board of Directors at Miami Beach Pride, summed up the weekend-long festivities for this year’s Pride, which included exhibits, performances and the traditional parade down Ocean Drive on Sunday afternoon. Photo courtesy of Matti Bower and Kristen Rosen Gonzalezīy Jose Cassola, an amazing weekend of love and gay pride!” Multi-day festival included exhibits, performances and the traditional parade down Ocean Drive on Sunday.