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Although Austin Pride held on to the bitter end, it announced on Wednesday the 11th.
This is the second year that the parade – which is slated to take place on Saturday, August 14th – will not go ahead as planned, having attracted 40,000 people in 2019. It’s not a firm rejection, but for now the street will be empty on the Saturday of the planned celebrations. So far, there are still smaller personal Pride events taking place.
According to a press release from the organizers: “In order to survive and prosper, [the organization] will work with sponsors, participants, partners and community stakeholders on a path forward. “
Comments on the announcement on social media supported the decision overwhelmingly. The sequel to Rainbow Skate and Raw at Oilcan Harry’s has not yet received much public response.
Austin Pride told KVUE that the organization was contacted by city officials Tuesday morning.
“The decision was made for us and for the safety of our town and community to suspend face-to-face gatherings,” the organization wrote in an Instagram post announcing the change. In their statement to KVUE, the group stated that the event previously “met all of its permit and event requirements”.
Until the postponement, Pride’s messages through the parade focused on wearing masks at the outdoor event. This advice was in line with Austin’s Level 4 and 5 guidelines and recommended vaccinated individuals at normal risk to simply wear masks and keep some distance outside. The same guidelines urged some vaccinated and unvaccinated people to stay at home and use takeaway or roadside food for eating and shopping.
The parade was supposed to travel down Congress Avenue in downtown Austin before ending on Fourth Street for the parade’s very first official after-party. Information on sponsors and attendees was already limited, but a post on Instagram stated that participation in the parade was “sold out”.
Five days after the city entered phase 4 at the end of July, the PFLAG announced that it would withdraw its participation, offer support groups and email encouraging viewers to “virtually find a community wherever you can and whenever you want” .
The parade postponement follows several other event cancellations in Austin amid the surge in area delta variant cases. This week, ACL Radio also postponed its last two Blues on the Green events, and headliner Stevie Nicks announced that they are canceling their performance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October.
As more unfolds, Austin Pride calls on the community: “Please #vaccinated, #maskup, #socialdistance until we can get this under control again. The virus may have won another battle, but it won’t win this war. “
Austin Pride promises more details as they become available.
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