Politics & Government
D'Amico Calls for Revamp of Weho's Annual Gay Pride Festival
Councilman John D'Amico says many residents have complained to him about the annual event's 'lack of quality.'
The annual parade and festival held every June in West Hollywood will get a serious revamp if Councilman John D’Amico gets his way. At Monday night’s City Council meeting, he called for changes to the event put on by Christopher Street West.
“There’s been a lot of private conversations to me about the lack of quality in that event,” D’Amico said during opening comments at the City Council meeting. “I think there is a serious disconnect for a lot of people on that event.”
Residents and visitors alike have long complained about the event, often calling it “lame.” Some people have said it doesn’t come close to the standards one would expect for a gay pride event held in the movie-making capital of the world, especially with so many creative people living in the region.
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D’Amico said he did not expect changes to be made for the June 2012 event since it is only six months away, but did want to see a serious revamp of the event by June 2013. He called for representatives of Christopher Street West to come to the next City Council meeting and give a report on their plans.
“I think with 18 months, we could begin to address some of the bigger concerns about where that event is falling down in terms of what many people in the community have come to me about,” D’Amico said.
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Rodney Scott, executive director of Christopher Street West, was not present at the time D’Amico made his comments, but was on hand before the meeting ended. Afterward, Scott and D’Amico were observed having a long conversation on the sidewalk outside the library.
The first gay pride parade in the area was held in June 1970, a year after the Stonewall Riots in New York City, which is considered the beginning of the modern gay rights movement. That first parade went down Hollywood Boulevard, but did not start until 7 p.m. when children were safely off the streets.
A few years later, the parade moved to Santa Monica Boulevard, with an accompanying festival held in West Hollywood Park, where it has been held ever since. The city estimates the parade and festival attract 300,000 people each year.
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