By: Audrey Cole/TRT Reporter—
SALEM, Mass.—North Shore Pride, the largest Pride celebration north of Boston, has cancelled its 2020 parade and festival, according to its Board of Directors.
“After much difficult deliberation, North Shore Pride’s Board of Directors has decided to cancel the 2020 North Shore Pride Parade & Festival events (originally scheduled for June 25th-28th) due to public safety concerns around COVID-19,” the organization’s statement read via its Facebook page. “As always, we remain committed to promoting the welfare and unity of the LGBTQ community across the North Shore, and this includes focusing on the health and safety of our community first and foremost.”
Pride organizers encourage the community to reach out and support others during this time.
“We recognize that members of our community are experiencing social isolation, financial hardship, healthcare concerns and other negative impacts of the current crisis. Now is the time for our community members to reach out to vulnerable neighbors and friends with compassion. North Shore Pride encourages members to take care of each other and to share supportive resources,”the statement continued.
Though the parade and festival will be canceled this year, the organization vows to develop programming through 2020 in an effort to keep people engaged and connected, leading into Pride 2021.
“North Shore Pride’s theme for this year is ‘Uniting Community’ and, despite the cancellation of the Parade & Festival, we must do just that,” its Board of Directors wrote. “Over the coming months, North Shore Pride will be announcing innovative ways to keep our community connected and to provide resources to the most vulnerable in our community. Remember, we are all in this together, and we will get through this together.”
Rebooting the parade and festival in 2021 will kick off the organization’s 10th annual celebration.
“While we will miss seeing everyone in person on the Salem Common this June, the Board of North Shore Pride is currently planning alternative events for 2020, in addition to North Shore Pride’s 10-Year Anniversary Parade and Festival for 2021!” the statement concluded.
Early on, Boston Pride and the City of Boston officially postponed Boston Pride 2020 (50th Anniversary) until 2021.
To learn more about North Shore Pride and find out more information about their events as details unfold, visit them online.
