Jun 14, 2009 11:41 am US/Pacific
Thousands Take To WeHo Streets For Pride Parade
WEST HOLLYWOOD
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The 39th annual Pride Parade was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Sunday, celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender communities. (File)
Daniel Lastra/CBS
West Hollywood city officials expected more than 400,000 people to line Santa Monica Boulevard Sunday for the 39th annual Pride Parade, which celebrates the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender communities.
The
parade, which began at 11 a.m., was scheduled to start at Crescent Heights Boulevard and head west to Robertson Boulevard, with more than 125 entries, including floats, bands, marching community advocacy groups and convertibles with honored guests.
Expected participants included, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and a possible rival for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination, San Francisco
Mayor Gavin Newsom.
E! Entertainment Television talk show host Chelsea Handler and her sidekick Chuy Bravo planned to serve as grand marshals. Handler was chosen for her visible and vocal support of equality, organizers said.
Organizations United Together West, a coalition of organizations that are representative of the communities they serve, was named as community grand marshal in recognition of its ability to unite and support communities on a grassroots level.
At noon, the parade planned to stop for a "Silent Celebration," where the crowd will be asked to fall silent for a minute to remember individuals who fought for the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender communities, those who died from AIDS and breast, prostate, testicular or colon cancer, and "all of our loved ones who have passed on," according to information posted on the event's Web site.
The parade has been held every year since 1970, except for 1973 when infighting over crude displays the previous two years left the organizers in disarray. The parade was held in Hollywood until 1979, when it moved to its current location of West Hollywood.
Santa Monica Boulevard would be closed from Fairfax Avenue to Doheny Drive from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Parking would be allowed on West Hollywood residential streets without permits until 7 a.m. Monday. All meter parking will be enforced.
The parade was part of the three-day LA Pride Celebration, which began Friday.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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