Long Beach Pride 2026 sets opening ceremony lineup with Thelma Houston, Robyn S and Thea Austin

By AI, Created 5:18 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Long Beach Pride is launching its first-ever Opening Ceremony at the 43rd annual festival on May 16 at Marina Green in Long Beach. The lineup, plus Sunday closers Ninel Conde and Maribel Guardia, underscores how the event is using music and major Latin artists to frame its 2026 “Fearless & Free” weekend.

Why it matters: - Long Beach Pride is turning its 43rd annual celebration into a bigger, music-centered event that leans on legacy artists and Latin superstars to broaden the festival’s reach. - The new Opening Ceremony also gives the organization a marquee kickoff built around LGBTQ+ history, visibility and community memory. - The event is set for Marina Green Park in Long Beach and runs Saturday, May 16, through Sunday, May 17.

What happened: - Long Beach Pride announced its first-ever Opening Ceremony for Saturday, May 16, at the 43rd Annual Celebration. - The opening lineup includes Thelma Houston, Robyn S and Thea Austin. - Ninel Conde and Maribel Guardia will close out the festival on Sunday, May 17. - Long Beach Pride says the weekend theme is “Fearless & Free.” - The organization also said the festival will take place at Marina Green.

The details: - The Opening Ceremony is designed as a musical journey through decades of songs that have shaped the LGBTQ+ community. - Long Beach Pride says the ceremony will honor music that helped turn dance floors into sanctuaries and protest into pride. - The event will highlight the role of music in the community since the first Long Beach Pride in 1984. - Thelma Houston will perform “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” a song widely embraced as an unofficial anthem during the AIDS crisis. - Houston is a Grammy Award-winning artist and former Long Beach resident. - Thea Austin, the vocalist behind SNAP!, will perform hits including “Rhythm Is a Dancer.” - Robyn S is the Billboard chart-maker behind “Show Me Love.” - Long Beach Pride said the Sunday lineup adds two major figures in Hispanic entertainment. - Past Pride headliners have included Ivy Queen, Natalia Jiménez, Paulina Rubio and Marisela. - NBC4 and Telemundo 52 are returning as official media partners. - Telemundo 52 News Anchor Enrique Chiabra and NBC4 News Anchor Annabelle Sedano will serve as returning media grand marshals. - Top sponsors for Long Beach Pride 2026 include the Port of Long Beach, the City of Long Beach, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, St. Mary Medical Center, Honda and the LA Kings. - Sunday entertainment will also feature XB Valentine on the Founders Stage. - XB Valentine is described as a first-generation queer Latina artist whose music blends hip hop and R&B. - LA Bamby, also known as Bamby Salcedo, will appear on the Founders Stage. - Salcedo is president and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition. - Queen Yaa and The High Court, featuring MC and performer Mercede$, will headline the Urban Soul Stage.

Between the lines: - The lineup shows Long Beach Pride placing heritage acts, Latin talent and trans leadership on the same festival bill. - That mix suggests the organization is trying to connect Pride’s historical roots with a broader, more intersectional audience. - The first standalone Opening Ceremony also signals a more produced, premium kickoff for the festival. - The music-first framing taps into a long-running Pride tradition: using familiar anthems as a shared cultural shorthand for survival and celebration.

What’s next: - Long Beach Pride will stage the Opening Ceremony on Saturday, May 16, at Marina Green Park. - The festival will continue through Sunday, May 17, with the announced closing performances and additional stage programming. - More event-day details may follow from Long Beach Pride as the celebration approaches.

The bottom line: - Long Beach Pride 2026 is betting on star power and Pride history to make its first Opening Ceremony a signature moment for the festival.