23 of Our Favorite Photos From the L.A. Pride 2018 Parade and Festival
What a weekend it was in L.A.! It may not have been the smoothest celebration in the city’s history, but L.A. Pride 2018 was most definitely one for the record books, gathering what we can only assume were record numbers of people from throughout the Southern California region. And if the L.A. Pride photos we’ve gathered below are any indicator, it was a weekend spent honoring our community’s accomplishments, marching for a purpose and celebrating without a care in the world.
As it has been for the last several years, the L.A. Pride festival took place in West Hollywood Park.
Before crowds were forced to disperse by the fire marshal on Saturday evening, it was reported that more than 40,000 people had turned out to see main stage headliner Kehlani tear it up. Other acts on Saturday night included Icona Pop, Superfruit, Kim Petras and Keri Hilson, while Sunday saw Tove Lo, Eve, Jessica 6 and Saturn Rising stun the huge crowds. (Not to mention a special surprise appearance by one of the gay community’s favorite pop divas!)
Sunday saw the annual L.A. Pride parade make its way down Santa Monica Boulevard, the main thoroughfare of West Hollywood.
Take a look at some of our favorite 2018 L.A. Pride photos here:
The L.A. Pride festival always brings out such a diverse cross-section of queer people looking to celebrate the strides of the community, fight for the advancement of our rights and promote LGBTQ visibility.
Once the sun went down on Saturday night, the crowds were ready for pop music.
Among the L.A. Pride festival’s big-name performers on Saturday were trans pop princess Kim Petras …
Superfruit …
Icona Pop
Kehlani …
And even a surprise appearance by the one and only Christina Aguilera!
As these L.A. Pride pics attest, Sunday’s parade welcomed all types …
… even the cast of hit FX series Pose, including stars Billy Porter, Angelica Ross and Hailie Sahar, series writer Janet Mock and producer Our Lady J!
As always, things on Sunday were kicked off by the Dykes on Bikes, who got the crowd all worked up and ready for an energetic parade.
And while some cities’ Pride parades aren’t particularly welcoming of law enforcement, members of the local police and sheriff’s departments showed up to march in L.A.
And here’s a shot of this year’s Grand Marshal — trans activist, entrepreneur and restauranteur Michaela Ivri Mendelsohn — with L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Sunday night saw more big-name performers, like Saturn Rising …
Eve …
And Tove Lo.
L.A. Pride 2018 saw record crowds come out for community, music and fun!