Boston Pride And Festival Won't Take Place In June, Maybe Fall

BOSTON — This year's Boston Pride Parade and Festival will not be held in June due to the pandemic, the organization and city announced Friday morning.

The Pride Parade and Festival may be held in the fall if possible.

Boston Pride will instead be virtually celebrating its 50th anniversary. There will be a Pride Flag raising at City Hall Plaza and the Pride Lights ceremony honoring those affected by HIV/AIDS.

"While I know this was a difficult decision to make, postponing Boston’s 2021 Pride Parade and Festival is the right choice as we continue to prioritize the health and safety of all during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," said Mayor Marty Walsh in a statement. "In Boston, we are committing to living by the values of inclusion, diversity and acceptance, and that will never change. Our city will continue to support Boston Pride, and when safe to do so, the Pride Parade and Festival will be back and stronger than ever."

The Boston Pride Parade and Festival was canceled last year as well.

"Over the last several months, we have pursued the difficult but necessary work of transformation and we want those efforts to be a central part of our Pride celebrations this year," Pride President Linda DeMarco said. "Our community is concerned about racial equity, the resurgence of white supremacy, the needs of BIPOC members of the LGBTQ+ community, and the dangers that transgender individuals, particularly transgender women of color, face. We are inviting the community to participate in Pride with those concerns in mind."

Those who registered for last year's events can defer registration until the next time they are held. You can contact parade@bostonpride.org or festival@bostonpride.org for a refund.