Miami Beach Gay Pride

Joel Stedman, Chairman of the Miami Beach Gay Pride Board of Directors, announced that Ivan Cano has been named Festival Director and Kristin Klein has been named Development Director for the 6th annual Miami Beach Gay Pride parade and festival, April 11 - 13, 2014.

"With the exponential growth of Pride over the past five years, the responsibilities for producing an event of this magnitude have also increased," Stedman said. "To ensure next year's Pride is the best event ever for the community, we've brought on two very talented, very capable professionals."

Longtime community advocate Cano will be responsible for the production and logistics for the 6th annual Miami Beach Gay Pride, everything from parade coordination to festival layout and design to performer coordination, Stedman said. Previously, he served as the Executive Director for Miami Beach Gay Pride. He has also been involved in worldOutgames IV, the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, the Miami Beach LGBT Business Enhancement Committee and Winter Party Festival. As an advocate for the Hispanic community, he helped create Celebrate Orgullo.

Klein, also a long-time community organizer, will be responsible for fundraising and sponsorships, Stedman said. Before joining Pride, she was Special Projects Manager/Director of Marketing for National Concrete Preservation, Inc. in Miami. Her current volunteer efforts include working with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force on the upcoming Miami Recognition Dinner. Before moving to Miami, Klein lived in New York where she worked with Gay Men's Health Crisis as well as Out and The Advocate magazines.

Both Cano and Klein will report to the Miami Beach Gay Pride Board of Directors. The all volunteer board is comprised of Stedman; Steve Adkins, Vice Chair; Mark Fernandes, Secretary; Bruce Horwich, Treasurer; Edison Farrow; Robin Schwartz; George Neary; Hernan Valverde; Ridge King; and Marci Lowman.

Since its inception five years ago, Miami Beach Gay Pride has grown from a neighborhood event to a destination event on the global stage with A-list performers like Adam Lambert last April. Attendance has grown as well. An estimated 15,000 spectators turned out for the first pride parade in 2009; an estimated 80,000 attended the 2013 event which attracted not only South Floridians, but also visitors from throughout the world. In addition to parade onlookers, last April's event included 66 parade entries and 1,200 participants. The pride festival which followed featured 125 LGBT-friendly vendors and businesses, plus refreshments, two stages of entertainment, a family-friendly play area and fireworks.

The mission of Miami Beach Gay Pride is to bring together members and allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBT community. The all-volunteer Pride board produces safe, quality, mass-appeal events that are open to the entire community, including the parade, festival and allied Miami Beach Gay Pride sanctioned events. Miami Beach Gay Pride is produced with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority. For more information, visit www.miamibeachgaypride.com.