Mariah Carey and Megan Thee Stallion to Headline LA Pride in the Park

By Susan Payne

Global superstars and Grammy awardwinning artists Mariah Carey and Megan Thee Stallion will headline LA Pride’s 2023 LA Pride in the Park on June 9 and 10 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park.

LA Pride, produced by Christopher Street West Association (CSW), will hold LA Pride in the Park, a two-day festival celebrating pride and the LGBTQIA+ community in southern California, headlined by these global superstars. Across 32 acres and with a capacity for 25,000, LA Pride in the Park is one of the most sought after and largest Official Pride concerts in the country. Additionally, the official theme for this year’s Pride season is “All Out with Pride,” which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community’s diversity, resilience, and joy.

Mariah Carey is a multi-hyphenate force, achieving success as a singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and a New York Times bestselling author. Referred to as the “Songbird Supreme” by Guinness World Records, she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, improvisation skills, her signature use of the whistle register, and songwriting. Carey has been credited with helping to revitalize the music industry in the 1990s and is considered one of the most influential female singers of all time. She has sold over 200 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Carey has won five GRAMMY Awards, 19 World Music Awards, and 14 American Music Awards. She is also the first artist to have a number-one single in the United States in each of the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. Carey has been a longtime ally of the LGBTQIA+ community and has spoken out in support of equality and acceptance.

In 2016, she received the Ally Award at the GLAAD Media Awards for her work to advance LGBTQIA+ rights. In addition to her advocacy work, Carey has also been a vocal supporter of LGBTQIA+ artists and creatives.

“I’m thrilled and honored to be a part of LA Pride 2023,” said Carey. “I am happy to be back in person celebrating with the LGBTQIA+ community here in Southern California and throughout all of the lands!!! Let’s come together to celebrate love, inclusion, and Pride.” as one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020 after publishing her monumental “Why I Speak Up For Black Women” op-ed for The New York Times. Megan’s philanthropic work was heralded by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who presented her with the key to the city of Houston and a proclamation that officially designated May 2, 2022 as Megan Thee Stallion Day in her hometown. and celebrate the phenomenal LGBTQIA+ community,” said Megan. “This incredible event advocates for diversity, inclusivity and equality, so I’m honored to perform and have a blast with all of the Hotties in attendance.”

Megan Thee Stallion is a three-time GRAMMY-winning recording artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. From earning two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits with the “Savage (Remix)” featuring Beyoncé, and “WAP” with Cardi B to releasing her dynamic album “Traumazine,” Megan has proven unstoppable. Megan has been recognized for her musical achievements, including three GRAMMY wins, nine BET Awards and back-to-back Billboard Music Awards for Top Rap Female Artist. Additionally, she has been honored for her advocacy efforts, having received the 2022 Special Achievement Award at The Webby Awards and the Trailblazer Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Early Bird Single Day and Weekend passes are sold out. General Single Day ($69) and Weekend ($119) as well as VIP Single Day ($299) and VIP Weekend ($549) are now available to purchase at lapride.org.

Pride Month,

From page 1

Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles — favorite songs from the chorus’ recent concerts in an outdoor event at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., on June 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The rest of the WeHo Pride Arts Festival itinerary can be found on wehopride.com/ artsfestival.

WEHO PRIDE PARADE

An imaginative and colorful annual tradition, the WeHo Pride parade along the Santa Monica Boulevard embraces LGBTQ+ representation, inclusions and progress. This year, the icons for the WeHo Pride Parade will be RuPaul’s Drag Race Laith Ashley, Niecey Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts, and Melissa McCarthy. These trailblazers and allies will be honored for their work in bringing LGBTQ community and social justice issues to the forefront.

Starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 4 at N. Crescent Heights Boulevard at Santa Monica

Most recently, Megan made history in Nov. 2022, becoming the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Forbes’ prestigious Under 30 issue. She was previously recognized

In 2021, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee awarded Megan the 18th Congressional District Hero Award in Houston for her humanitarian initiatives. out against the intolerance of the LGBTQIA+ community within the hip-hop genre. She told People magazine in a 2021 interview that, “Representation is important, and it is really crucial for us all to have compassion and acceptance of every human.”

“I can’t wait to headline LA Pride in the Park

Boulevard, the parade will travel westbound along the boulevard into the heart of City’s Rainbow District to N. Robertson Boulevard. For those unable to attend in person, tunein for WeHo Pride Parade coverage on KTLA 5, the official broadcast partner of the 2023 WeHo Pride Parade.

WEHO PRIDE STREET FAIR

On Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, the WeHo Pride Street Fair will celebrate Pride with diverse participation of LGBTQ+ community groups and allied organizations as part of visibility and expression. The Street Fair is free, featuring a vibrant variety of exhibitors along Santa Monica Boulevard between Hancock Ave. and La Peer Drive.

WOMEN’S FREEDOM FESTIVAL

At the WeHo Pride Street Fair community stage, watch live emerging LGBTQ and BIPOC women and nonbinary musicians, comedians, poets and activists perform, hosted by Jackie Steele and Stevi Shari. Guest speakers include Queen Chela, Jayla Baxter and Liana Georgi on Saturday, June 3 from 12 to 6 p.m.

DYKE MARCH

Following the Women’s Freedom Festival, the Dyke March will take place at the WeHo Pride Street Fair community stage Saturday,

June 3 from 6-7 p.m. This annual celebration features speakers, community activists and the March, led by a motorcycle contingent.

OUTLOUD at WEHO PRIDE

Although RSVPs are no longer being accepted, WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night at OUTLOUD will take place Friday, June 2 at 6 p.m. at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard.

OUTLOUD Weekend and WeHo Pride pass holders will be guaranteed access to this event, featuring top talent with headlines Grace Jones on Saturday and Carly Rae Jepsen on Sunday. The full weekend line-up includes performances by Passion Pit, Orville Peck, Santigold, Princess Nokia, Yung Bae, La Roux, Meet Me @ The Alter, Jodie Harsch, Rubio, Cub Sports and Black Belt Eagle Scout. For more information on these events and many more, visit www.wehopride.com/ calendar.

West Hollywood has been home to the one of the largest annual Pride celebrations in the United States, drawing hundreds of thousands of revelers every June.

Home to the “Rainbow District” along Santa Monica Boulevard, which features a concentration of historic LGBTQ clubs, restaurants, and retail shops, West Hollywood consistently tops lists of “most LGBTQ friendly cities” in the nation. More than 40 percent of residents in West Hollywood identify as LGBTQ.

“Mariah Carey and Megan Thee Stallion are the perfect artists to headline LA Pride in the Park this year as we expand to two days,” said Gerald Garth, board president of LA Pride. “These empowering and iconic women are sure to take the stage by storm to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and will undoubtedly make this year’s LA Pride in the Park an unforgettable experience.” with the staff at West Hollywood Library, this story hour will be read by Amber Crane on Saturday, June 17 at 11 a.m.

Pride is deeply rooted part of West Hollywood’s history and culture. Pride events have taken place in West Hollywood since 1979, five years before the City of West Hollywood was incorporated as a municipality in 1984. Historically, Pride in West Hollywood was produced by the nonprofit organization Christopher Street West (CSW), which formed in 1970 to organize a parade in commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall riots.

In 2022, the City of West Hollywood inaugurated WeHo Pride with programming that represents a diverse array of LGBTQ community groups as part of visibility, expression, and celebration, including continuing to support partners’ Pride events. West Hollywood is a community of choice for LGBTQ people from throughout the region, the state, the nation, and the globe and WeHo Pride embraces a source of deep connection for its unique LGBTQ history and culture.

EVERY DAY SAFE

June 1-30

SMPride.com

Santa Monica Pier, Downtown Santa Monica, and Santa Monica Place, in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, present

SaMo PRIDE: an entire month of festivities to raise awareness and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, individuality, inclusiveness and acceptance.