Coronavirus in Oklahoma: OKC Pride Week & Festival delayed to fall

The OKC Pride Alliance board has rescheduled the 2020 Pride Week & Festival in response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The new dates for the festival are Sept. 4-6. The board is working with the city, sponsors and everyone involved to secure these specific dates.

The OKC Pride Alliance and the annual Pride Week & Festival are completely volunteer-run. The safety of volunteers and the community are a priority to the organization, which helped guide this decision, according to a news release. 

“A lot of things are uncertain right now, but one thing we know for sure is the LGBTQ+ community is always determined and resilient in the face of a challenge. This time also serves as a reminder of how we can love and support one-another a little bit more than perhaps we were before we felt the impacts of a pandemic.,” said Hannah Royce, board president of the OKC Pride Alliance, in a statement. 

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In an effort to provide support and resources to the LGBTQ+ community, the OKC Pride Alliance has partnered with Freedom Oklahoma to create the Community Connection Hub. “The Hub” is a program that aims to keep the LGBTQ+ community connected during these times of social distancing and isolation.

In addition to working with Freedom Oklahoma on "The Hub," the OKC Pride Alliance board is working to create a Virtual QueerFest June 15-21, the previous dates of OKC Pride Week 2020. The virtual event will feature digital drag performances, live streams from local musicians, Zoom panels and discussions, regional queer creatives Zoom meetups, digital art prompts and other online opportunities to explore your creativity with your regional community. 

For more information about the Oklahoma City Pride Alliance and the Pride Week & Festival, visit oklahomacitypride.org or facebook.com/okcpridefest.

-BAM