The biggest LGBT festival in Northeast Ohio has been canceled this year.
In a notice on its website, Cleveland Pride announced the 28th annual parade, rally and festival were canceled because of concerns about hostilities toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
“Because of the changing social climate,” said Todd J. Saporito, Cleveland Pride’s president and CEO, “Cleveland Pride did not have enough time to engage in the development of awareness programs and training that we believe is critical in today’s environment.”
Saporito did not directly reference Pulse, the Orlando gay club that last month was the target of the deadliest mass shooting in American history. The attack left 49 people dead and 53 injured. Omar Mateen, the shooter, also was killed.
The Cleveland celebration was set to start Aug. 13 at noon.
This year is the first cancellation in the annual event’s history. It was delayed last year because of bad weather.
The cancellation follows Cleveland’s hosting of the 2014 Gay Games, which drew 10,000 LGBT-friendly athletes and thousands of spectators, as well as the city’s hosting of the Cavaliers championship celebration — which drew more than a million participants. Last week, the city hosted the Republican National Convention, which drew thousands of protesters. No serious incidents of violence occurred at any of those events.
The Pride event has drawn 30,000 or more to Cleveland in recent years.
Saporito said it wasn’t an easy decision to cancel the celebration, but it’s important for LGBT people to have pride even though there won’t be a parade.
“While the specific day of celebration has been cancelled, Cleveland Pride, Inc. seeks to remind everyone that Pride is not a one-day celebration, but a daily act of visibility throughout our community,” he said. “While we may not be marching as a large, unified body, we can come together throughout Cleveland and continue our support of local LGBTQ establishments and LGBTQ community members.”
A 2017 event is still scheduled.
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ngfalcon.