After a reschedule for October 10th (from the typical first Sunday in June) Jersey Pride was poised to celebrate their 30th Anniversary with an all-out crisp fall celebration. Unfortunately, the events of our country have put those plans on hold, once again. Jersey Pride announced on their Facebook page that the 30th Annual LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration, held in Asbury Park, will be rescheduled from October 10th, 2021 to June 5, 2022.
Jersey Pride’s Facebook post went on to say “This matter was not decided lightly. As the summer wound to a close, Jersey Pride was forced to confront the reality of a fall surge of the virus – courtesy of both the delta variant and a non-trivial percentage of the population eschewing vaccinations. We are now beginning to get some pushback and cancellations of those who might otherwise have participated in our event this October. Authoritative consultants raised the spectre that we would be creating a super-spreader event. Other prides – like Atlanta Pride – that had rescheduled their 2021 events to the fall have already cancelled.”
According to Jersey Pride President Laura Pople “We have not been planning in a vacuum. It was already clear that we were not going to be able to host the blow-out 30th year event that an anniversary year warranted, and that we should target a modest one this fall. We had also made a determination that we would follow the lead of outdoor event organizers like Live Nation and mandate vaccinations or negative COVID tests for any attendees. Even with these precautions, however, it was clear that a critical mass of participants was withdrawing from (or at least questioning) participation in Pride.”
Asbury Park still has plenty to celebrate the first weekend of June. Pop princess Kim Petras is set to perform at the legendary Stone Pony on August 9th (with an opening set by DJ Carl Michaels and madcap drag performer Pissi Myles). Additionally, Paradise in Asbury Park (located right on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park) has Pride events that at press time, which were still being confirmed but will celebrate Pride in only the way that Asbury Park & Paradise can do.
For more info on Jersey Pride, check our their website
Ah… Asbury Park, a.k a trailer trash of Jersey.
They should be more concerned about a massive STD outbreak with those people from jersey. Not the best representation of the gay community.