Fernandina Beach welcomes its first Pride festival & parade

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – People celebrating love and equality will be in Fernandina Beach this weekend to celebrate the city's first ever Pride event. 

The Fernandina Beach Pride Parade and Festival comes during the month of June, which is known nationwide as Pride month. This year has also been an iconic and historic one for the LGBT community as it marks the 50th year since the Stonewall uprising, which is recognized as the birth of the modern LGBT movement, according to SAGE.

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Click here to visit the Fernandina Beach Pride website

"With overwhelming support from the City of Fernandina Beach and community partners, Fernandina Pride is excited to sponsor this weekend of love and celebration with speakers, food, art, worship, and love," a press release from the organization said in part.

The Fernandina Pride Parade will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday. The parade follows the traditional route downtown from Central Park down Ash Street and Centre Street. There will be groups of people walking, decorated cars and, of course, floats. The festival begins at 11 a.m.

On Sunday, Fernandina Pride will hold a special multi-faith worship service at 8:30 a.m. at the gazebo at Main Beach. Members from the local faith community will participate and the community is welcome. Admission to the event is free for all ages.

“We are so excited and encouraged by all the positive support we have received in our local community as we have prepared for our inaugural Fernandina Beach Pride Parade and Festival. It is going to be a fun family-friendly day of good food, good music, good friends and love,” Fernandina Beach Pride President, Genece Minshew, said.  

“On this 50th anniversary of the Stonewall demonstrations, I am proud that our City will be celebrating our first of these important events. I encourage residents and visitors to embrace Pride’s message of equality and unity and to come out and enjoy this festival of peace and love," Mayor Johnny Miller said.

Click here for more information.Â