Lily Weiss, executive director of the Dallas Arts District, announced that the 2020 Pride Block Party — the third such official event, scheduled for June 19 — has been canceled.
“With the health and safety of staff, artists, volunteers and visitors top of mine, we have made the joint decision to cancel” the event, Weiss said in a statement, representing the decision of the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Crow Museum of Asian Art as well as the Arts District. “The better news is that each of us — DAD, DMA, Nasher and Crow — are making plans to celebrate national Pride month through our respective digital platforms.” Weiss indicated that the celebration was planned to return in 2021.
The Pride Block Party launched in 2018 when the DMA, which hosts monthly “Late Nights at the DMA” events plus a yearly block party in June, decided to brand that party with a Pride theme, as it coincided with Gay Pride Month. The other arts groups joined in planning and management of the event, which last year welcomed more than 30,000 visitors. Many community partners were enlisted, from theater companies to dance troupes, visual artists and drag queens, who contributed entertainment, advice and volunteers. The final organizational meeting prior to the 2020 event was supposed to take place last month, but did not due to isolation guidelines.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
