Grand Marshals Announced for the 2024 Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival in Wilton Manors, Florida

WILTON MANORS, Fla., June 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Grand Marshals for the 2024 Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival have been announced- singer and drag icon Kevin Aviance, community advocate Victor Zepka, and "Dancing with the South Florida Stars" winners Tony Lima and Velvet Lenore.

On June 15, 2024, the City of Wilton Manors will co-host the much-anticipated Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots. The street festival will kick off at 3 p.m., followed by a glow night parade at 7 p.m. The event features seven stages, lounges, vendors, food, and music, and culminates with a parade of illuminated Pride floats, vehicles, and walking groups.

"I am so proud that Wilton Manors has been hosting this event for more than 20 years," said Mayor Scott Newton. "I hope everyone will join us in celebration and support of the LGBTQ+ community locally and across the globe."

This year's Pride Parade Grand Marshals represent diverse backgrounds in arts, entertainment, and community advocacy. A fixture of the '90s gay dance scene, Kevin Aviance has two #1 dance hits, and his music was spotlighted on Beyonce's song "PURE/HONEY." Victor Zepka is a community advocate and the original owner of Boardwalk nightclub. Zepka oversaw the popular location, as well as the Miss Florida F.I. Pageant, for over 20 years. Dynamic duo Tony Lima and Velvet Lenore recently claimed the title at the "Dancing with the South Florida Stars" competition. Lima serves as the Executive Director of SunServe, a nonprofit in Wilton Manors dedicated to providing resources to members of the LGBTQ+ community. Popular in the South Florida drag scene, Lenore performs and hosts shows at Lips Restaurant and the Pub on The Drive.

"My team and I are once again excited to produce the annual Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival, which is the largest Pride event in the county, and one of the largest in the state," said event organizer Jeff Sterling. "We are extra enthused to be working even closer with the City of Wilton Manors to make this the best Stonewall Pride ever. Both the Parade and Vendor booths only have a few spots left, so we know we will, once again, sell out. When I took over producing the festival in 2015, 20,000 people attended, and now we are over 50,000 and we are working to make the festival bigger and better every year."

General admission pre-sale tickets are available online for $10 through June 14, or $13 tickets may be purchased at the gate. Pre-sale tickets include festival entry at special pre-paid lines at main entrances. VIP packages including air-conditioned tents and exclusive premium lounge experiences are also available for purchase.

Ride sharing to the festival is encouraged. On the morning of the event, $5 off Uber and Lyft promo codes will be posted to the City's website at https://bit.ly/WMRideSharing and the Circuit electric shuttles will be running for $2 per ride (download the app at https://www.ridecircuit.com/ride).

Please note, the following street closures will be in effect:

• Wilton Drive from NE 20th Street through 5-points (Dixie Highway) from 4 a.m. June 15, 2024, through 4 a.m. June 16, 2024
• Restricted access on Wilton Drive/NE 4th Avenue between NE 16th Street in Fort Lauderdale and NE 20th St in Wilton Manors from 4 a.m. June 15, 2024, through 4 a.m. June 16, 2024
• Restricted access on NE 11^th Avenue and NE 9^th Avenue starting on June 14, 2024, for event setup

To learn more about the Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.stonewallpride.lgbt/.

ABOUT STONEWALL PRIDE I Inc
Stonewall Pride I Inc is part of HOTspots! Happening Out, which represents a dynamic alliance of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations united in their commitment to enhancing the well-being of South Florida's LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Through a multifaceted approach encompassing events, television programming, print media, captivating video content, and engaging social media, we channel all resources and funding towards advancing the social, cultural, and educational facets of our mission, serving our wonderfully diverse community.

Our unified partnership of non-profits include Stonewall Pride, HOTspots Magazine, Happening Out Television Network, Wilton Manors Entertainment Group - WMEG, Pride Fête, Art Walk Wilton Manors, Taste of the Island Wilton Manors, Black Pride Cookout, Queer News Tonight, Pride Skate Night, Happening Out Travel, Sculpture Walk Wilton Manors, The Fay What Show, Pride on the Drive, and Hotspots Happening Out Art Gallery with Dennis Dean.

ABOUT THE CITY OF WILTON MANORS
Wilton Manors was laid out in 1925 by Edward John "Ned" Willingham, a land developer from Georgia, as an upscale residential community.  It was recognized as a Village in 1947 and incorporated as a city in 1953. Today, the City of Wilton Manors offers all the benefits of a big city from shopping, to hip restaurants and bars, a burgeoning arts community and tons of community events, yet still maintains a cozy, community-feeling offering miles of natural waterways perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding and other outdoor activities. In 2018, Wilton Manors was named the "Second Gayest City" in the United States, celebrating a diverse population of approximately 12,000 residents.  To learn more about the live, work and play opportunities in Wilton Manors call (954) 390-2100 or visit www.wiltonmanors.com.

CONTACT: Aimee Adler Cooke, (561) 302-6902 (or) [email protected]

SOURCE City of Wilton Manors