The Americas, comprising the continents of North and South America, is the world’s most populous island. It takes up almost 30% of the planet’s land mass, is home to over one and a half billion people and is about to host its first ever collective Pride Festival representing all of The Americas in Greater Fort Lauderdale during April 2020. This epic six-day festival, from Tuesday, April 21, 2020 to Sunday, April 26, 2020, is set to be one of the world’s brightest, most colourful and diverse Prides yet. With themes honouring diversity, inclusion and love, the event hopes to bring international attention to the inequalities LGBTQ+ communities face in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Hosted by Florida’s LGBTQ+ capital, the setting is the perfect backdrop to the celebrations as Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to hundreds of gay-owned and operated businesses and one of the largest concentrations of LGBT+ households in the United States. The city is proud to have its very own LGBT+ Pride Visitors Centre, the world’s first AIDS Museum, the global headquarters of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association and the Stonewall National Museum & Archives with exhibitions relating to LGBTQ+ history and culture.
Pride of the Americas kicks off with the Opening Ceremonies on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 in downtown Fort Lauderdale and culminates on Sunday, April 26, 2020 with a closing beach festival and fireworks display. From daily sunset concerts to social mixers, the schedule of events will feature exciting opportunities and special guests at various venues, including: Beach Party & Parade, Arts Festival, Fashion Show, Business of the Americas Conference, Transgender Summit and LGBT+ Health & Wellness Conference.
Starting on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 is the Opening Ceremonies and Business of the Americas Conference, which will explore what companies and international businesses are doing to promote inclusion in the workplace and explore opportunities for LGBTQ+ people in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Running throughout the festival are daily sunset concerts at the beach festival stage and venues around Greater Fort Lauderdale with artists TBA in the coming months. Pride of the Americas will also feature an LGBTQ+ Arts Festival featuring innovating and entertaining performances and exhibitions by local, national and international guest artists.
The three-day LGBT+ Travel Industry Symposium will bring together travel industry companies, suppliers and top destinations to share success stories, improve the LGBT+ travel experience and advance LGBT+ issues globally. In partnership with the World AIDS Museum and Educational Centre, the festival will host internationally recognised researchers and advocacy organisations as part of the LGBT+ Health & Wellness Conference. This event will address the progress and possibilities for LGBT+ healthcare and new challenges ahead.
On the Friday, Night on the Drive sees festivities move to nearby Wilton Manors, the hub of the LGBTQ+ community and home to one of the nation’s largest concentrations of LGBT+ households, for an evening of shopping, dining and entertainment. Then it’s the Saturday Pride of the Americas Beach Party, Drag Brunches and Tea Dances before and after the Pride Parade. The final Saturday will host Pride of the Americas Day of Service where hundreds of guests are asked to build bridges with the less fortunate by volunteering at local charities and social service organisations on this day of service.
Greater Fort Lauderdale is committed to hosting this event with minimal environmental impact. Energy and water conservation, along with waste recycling programmes, will be visibly in place. Additionally, there are many efforts underway to safeguard the sea turtle population that will be nesting on nearby beaches, including beach clean ups, securing of nesting sites and reduced artificial lighting near the shoreline. Nearly 90% of turtle nesting in the US occurs in Florida, with a large concentration occurring on the beaches of Greater Fort Lauderdale. Pride of the Americas 2020 has adopted the sea turtle as a fitting and informal mascot.
While in town, you’ll have opportunities to explore unique ecosystems and participate in wildlife and nature conservation programmes on the beach and in the Everglades. This is truly a once in a lifetime Pride so start planning today!
More info about all the events, conferences and travel possibilities here:
