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Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center Announces Lehigh Valley Pride to Transition to a Virtual Event, All Programs Through Labor Day to be Virtual, and Annual Gala Postponed to 2021
Lehigh Valley Pride to be a Virtual Event This Year; All Other Center Programs to be Virtual Through Labor Day; annual Gala postponed to Spring 2021
Allentown, PA — Today, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center made the challenging decision to transition Lehigh Valley Pride — 5,000 person annual celebration of LGBT arts and culture now in its 27th year — to a virtual event still to be held on August 16, 2020.
In addition to Lehigh Valley Pride, the Center’s Fall Gala and LGBT Community Leadership Awards originally scheduled for October 28, 2020 will be postponed to the Spring of 2021 (date TBC). Further, the center will continue to operate only virtual programs through Labor Day.
“This is not a decision we take lightly,” said Patrick Fligge, Board Chair of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. “At the end of the day, our number one goal is the health and safety of our community. We are confident that the diversity of virtual programs offered by the center — now to include a virtual pride festival — will provide meaningful ways for our community to connect with one another. We can’t wait to resume in person programs in the future.”
Adrian Shanker, the founding Executive Director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, added, “This is not our first virus and LGBT people know about how to survive a plague. We know how important it is to listen to public health information and to adapt our programs to meet the current need. We also know how important Lehigh Valley Pride is to our community — and the virtual event this year will be exciting and engaging. It will still be a celebration of LGBT arts, culture, and community. It will still be a platform to demand equity. It will still be pride. Just in a different format.”
The details of the virtual pride festival will be announced shortly but will include local and national talent, community spotlights, and more.
U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild commented: “Every year, thousands of community members attend Lehigh Valley Pride to celebrate LGBTQ+ arts, culture, and community and to take action for equal rights and equal justice for LGBT people. As Lehigh Valley Pride transitions to a virtual event, we still need to seek equal justice in this community – I am proud to be your advocate in this work at the federal level, Pride is not cancelled. The fight for equal justice is not cancelled. From the safety of our homes, we can participate virtually this year, and I look forward to celebrating with you.”
Allentown Mayor Ray O’Connell, said: Pride is more than a one day event, Pride is celebrated all year long in the City of Allentown. We are a community. Diversity is strength. And I look forward to attending Lehigh Valley Pride virtually this year, and in-person in 2021.”
State Representative Mike Schlossberg, who represents West Allentown where Lehigh Valley Pride takes place, added: “I look forward to attending Lehigh Valley Pride every year with my family. It is a wonderful celebration that is part of the fabric of our community. I know that it was a difficult but necessary decision to cancel the in-person pride experience this year, but I look forward to participating virtually because Pride itself is not cancelled.
About Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center: (www.bradburysullivancenter.
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center provides arts, health, youth, and pride programs to strengthen and support the LGBT community across the Greater Lehigh Valley.
Information Provided By:
Adrian Shanker
Executive Director
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
