Visibility amongst challenges: The community celebrates at LB Pride Parade 

The official theme for the 43rd Annual Long Beach Pride Festival & Parade was “Fearless and Free.” But the unofficial theme became resilient and persevering after unexpected events led Long Beach City officials to cancel the festival.

Despite the last-minute changes, excited attendees showed up for the 2026 Parade on May 17. 

Some participants worried about what this meant for future Long Beach Pride events, even as they considered solutions.

“In these trying times, with the world the way it is, canceling the festival is like a bad omen,” said Long Beach Pride attendee Vivian Oaxaca.

_{A person wearing a neon green crop top and a breastplate takes pictures of the Pride parade on Ocean Blvd in Long Beach on May 17. (Tien Nguyen)}

Oaxaca continued, “While the parade was very nice, we do need as much community building as we can get.”

Others in attendance were more hopeful, but still insisted that the future of Long Beach Pride depends on the local queer community coming together.

Claire Erbeznik said, “It was wonderful to get out and celebrate the community. We need to be out and proud, now more than ever.”

Community was a recurring theme during the Long Beach Pride Parade, and it’s no surprise. 

_{Stella Ursua represents Ocean County social services support agency, APAIT, at the 43rd Annual Long Beach Pride Parade on May 17, 2026. Ursua is a member of the APAIT/SSG Charitable Board of Advisors. (Kiona Jones)}

Even the renowned liberal state of California is at risk of passing Assembly Bill 1998, which is trying to redefine “sex” as a binary of female or male only, legally excluding gender nonconforming folks.

Christian Garcia, LBCC’s Pride Scholars Program coordinator, believes that the Long Beach Pride Parade reminds the local queer community and its allies to hold on to hope.

“I think it’s really important for students and people to just see that, hey, you can be visible. It is safe. I think it’s so important that people feel like, ‘Hey, can I be out here wearing this rainbow color outfit? Can I be out here?’” Garcia said. 

Garcia continued, “There’s such power in visibility. It helps us see all the allies that come out. As well as, you know, it’s really cool to see other co-workers and friends out there that are allies. Because they’re there to help show support and solidarity for us (the local queer community).”

The key to any marginalized community persevering through adversity on any level is remembering that there’s resilience in just showing up. 

“You know, just, like, representing my true, authentic self, and I think it just shows most people that we’re out here, we’re doing it. We’re not gonna hide,” Garcia said. 

For the 2026 Long Beach Festival & Parade, this can be as simple as taking advantage of opportunities to show up openly and honestly.

_{A person wearing a shirt that features Bert and Ernie from the television show “Sesame Street” as a couple, holds a bubble gun and a pride flag during the Long Beach Pride parade on Ocean Blvd on May 17. (Tien Nguyen)}

_{A lesbian couple, left, and a gay couple, right, hold their partners’ hands while walking on Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach after the Pride parade on Ocean Blvd on May 17. (Tien Nguyen)}

_{Participants in the 43rd Annual Long Beach Pride Parade carring a side that reads “UNITE & FIGHT FOR LGBTQ LIBERATION” on May 17, 2026. (Kiona Jones)}

_{DJ LaVonda Rocks performs at a Pride party in Bixby Park, Long Beach, on May 17, after the Pride parade. Despite the Long Beach Pride Festival being canceled, this impromptu, free event kept the celebration going. (Tien Nguyen)}

_{People gather at a Pride party in Bixby Park, Long Beach, on May 17, after the Pride parade. Despite the Long Beach Pride Festival being canceled, this impromptu, free event kept the celebration going. (Tien Nguyen)}