New Jersey Pride Festival in Asbury Park, NJ Postponed – Here’s the New Date

Thanks, COVID. Due to safety concerns, one of the biggest festivals in Asbury Park has been called off for this year.

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Organizers say the decision to postpone was a tough one with a couple of different variables. With COVID cases on the rise, large gatherings are risky. Due to those concerns, sponsors and vendors were canceling or giving Jersey Pride pushback.

According to Jersey Pride President Laura Pople:

We have not been planning in a vacuum. It was already clear that we were not going to be able to host the blow-out 30th-year event that an anniversary year warranted and that we should target a modest one this fall. We had also made a determination that we would follow the lead of outdoor event organizers like Live Nation and mandate vaccinations or negative COVID tests for any attendees. Even with these precautions, however, it was clear that a critical mass of participants was withdrawing from (or at least questioning) participation in Pride.

While many were excited about the October celebration, there has been an overwhelming amount of understanding and support from volunteers and the community. This isn't surprising. Understanding and support are a couple of the values Pride is all about.

What's next? Organizers say they are going to focus all of their energy on June 5. 2022. This is the new date for NJ's 30th LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration in Asbury Park