Permitting may impact plans for Tucson Pride

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TUCSON, Arizona (KOLD News 13) – Plans for the Tucson Pride Parade and Festival are pending approval.

Every fall, the LGBTQ + advocacy group hosts an event in Reid Park with thousands of people.

“Last year we were proud to host a virtual celebration,” said Sam Cloud, president of Tucson Pride. “It’s just kind of where we’ve been as a city, as an organization.”

However, with a few COVID-19 cases, the festival is coming back. The organizers have reserved the north side of Reid Park for October 2nd, 2021.

“We had more than 6,000 at our last live festival [people]”Said Cloud.

Which proves to be a challenge. The City of Tucson does not currently issue special permits for events with more than 250 people.

It can seem confusing when the University of Arizona (which is within city limits) allows hundreds of fans to play.

However, a Tucson city spokesman said the restrictions only apply to city parks and land. KOLD News 13 also learned that the cap is likely to be lifted soon as Tucson seeks the latest health guidelines from Pima County, the state of Arizona, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“While we wait for these restrictions to be lifted, we are considering alternatives in the meantime,” said Cloud. “We are examining alternative venues in the district. We also have the option to host a Pride Weekend, where multiple venues in the Tucson area host various Pride events; different topics, different age groups. We will make sure that the pride lives on. “

Pima County no longer has a gathering limit for outdoor events.

“We are definitely looking forward to coming back in person and celebrating pride again as a community,” said Cloud.

As soon as a festival location is secured, parade planning can begin and ticket sales begin.

Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.

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