All SacPride in-person gatherings canceled this year due to coronavirus concerns

The Sacramento LGBT Community Center announced Wednesday that it is canceling all in-person events for 2020, including its summer SacPride festival, due to concerns over the continued COVID-19 pandemic.

“Given what we know now about the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale events such as the Sacramento Pride March and Festival, planned fundraising events, and our annual queer youth prom are simply not possible and pose too much of a risk to public health and safety,” the center said in a news release.

Last year, the festival drew thousands of attendees to Capitol Mall and featured a performance from Lizzo.

In lieu of a festival, the center said it would find other ways to celebrate Pride and is exploring remote options to avoid having a large gathering.

“This was not an easy decision,” David Heitstuman, CEO of the center, said in a statement. “...Community’s health is of paramount importance however and we could not move forward with events that could pose a risk to tens of thousands of people, especially for the most marginalized in our community including queer and transgender Black folks, LGBTQ elders, those living with HIV, cancer, or immunodeficiencies who are at increased risk.”

“I support the Center in their careful decision to postpone Pride and I’m confident they will find other ways to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride not only in June, but throughout the year,” Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said in a statement.