How 'Bigger and brighter' Pride on the Block, Pride Ride events celebrate a Downtown Phoenix 'for all'
by Elizabeth Montgomery
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In Downtown Phoenix, we’re celebrating 53 years of Pride with a bike ride through the city and a block party you will never forget.
Join Phoenix City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari and presenting sponsor Mercy Care for the second annual Pride on the Block, a LGBTQIA+ block party, taking place on Sunday, October 23rd, from 3-8 p.m. at Portland Parkway in Downtown Phoenix.
Pride on the Block is a collaborative, hyper-local event to support and spotlight our diverse queer communities.
“After shameful attacks at the state level targeting our LGBTQIA+ youth and trans community, we’re making Pride on the Block bigger and brighter than ever to show Phoenix is a city that prides itself in being a welcoming place where anyone can thrive,” said Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari in a press release.
New elements you can look forward to this year include the Pride Bike Ride hosted by Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DPI). The ride leaves Civic Space Park at 2 p.m. and ends at Pride on the Block.
“There’s no better way to see the dramatic evolution our neighborhood has undergone than on two wheels,” said R. J. Price, Chief Growth Officer at DPI.
“You see the art, the architecture and the personality. Group rides also make it easier to teach inexperienced riders how to ride in an urban city and how to share the road with motorized vehicles.”
New elements you can look forward to this year include the Pride Bike Ride hosted by Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DPI). The ride leaves Civic Space Park at 2 p.m. and ends at Pride on the Block. (Photo: Taylor Costello).
Hosted by the LEGENDARY Barbra Seville and live music by DJ Lezbein, Pride on the Block will also feature a live and silent auction, runway contest, drag performances, superstar LGBTQIA+ choir – Voices of the Desert, a live band, interactive activities, face painting, a resource fair and more.
Ansari said the event will also raise visibility for local LGBTQIA+ non-profits and organizations dedicated to offering critical resources such as quality healthcare, mental health resources, housing, advocacy and more.
DPI will be on site with limited edition rainbow DTPHX bird t-shirts for $25 each. ALL proceeds will be sent to the Southwest Center, Arizona’s home for healthcare and wellness for Queer and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals.
Price hopes the success of Pride Ride and Pride on the Block will, “make a loud and clear statement that DTPHX is inclusive and welcoming for all,” he said.
“That would be a great day.”
Join us for a seven-mile casual group ride departing from Civic Space Park. We’ll see bike infrastructure improvements throughout greater Downtown en route to the Pride On the Block event. Additional bike parking will be provided at the block party.
What: Hyper-local block party spotlighting local businesses, nonprofits and artists
Who: Phoenix City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari – District 7 and Mercy Care
When: October 23, 2022 | 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Where: Portland Parkway Park
10 West Portland Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003 (Central Avenue & Portland Street)
RSVP Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pride-on-the-block-2022-tickets-400971024127
Donation Link: www.swcenter.org/donatetoday