Bloomington PRIDE organizers announced Thursday that the Pridefest annual celebration will go virtual this year due to continuing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
A news release from the organization says the event will take place online over three days at the end of August and include a vendor expo, musical performances and workshops, among other virtual activities.
PRIDE Board Chair Janae Cummings said in the release that health and safety are the organization's top priority.
"We did not make this decision lightly," Cummins wrote. "For many, Pridefest is the one of the few opportunities to escape isolation and oppression and celebrate their lives and identities with a community that loves them for who they are. The 2019 festival saw more than 20,000 visitors across the day, and we could not, in good conscience, host an event of that size and scope in the midst of a global pandemic."
However, the release says that PRIDE is organizing a variety of different socially-distanced events throughout the summer to accompany the virtual Pridefest.
