The organisers of Dublin Pride and the Mother Pride Block Party have both announced that their events are cancelled this year due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March, Dublin Pride had initially shared plans to postpone the festival until September, with Mother Pride Block Party following suit. However, with the continuing pandemic and the need for social distancing, it was decided best to put a pause on both events until 2021.

Dublin Pride released the following statement:

“It is with great regret that Dublin LGBT+ Pride has decided to cancel our annual Pride Parade for 2020. Although we had initially postponed the Parade until September, we feel the scale of one of the largest events in the country would place unnecessary pressure on essential frontline services and resources that will have been at full stretch for many months.

“When we chose ‘In This Together’ as our theme for 2020, we knew it was not just a phrase, but a responsibility. A responsibility to act in the best interests of all our communities, to react to changing circumstances and to support our frontline workers.

“Dublin Pride is the largest fundraising event of the year for many LGBT+ community organisations and charities in Ireland. Even though we won’t be together on O’Connell Street we know that won’t stop us all coming together to support our community and the vital services they provide, often to our most vulnerable members.

“So, we’re still going to see you in June, and you’ll definitely see us, as we host the first Digital Dublin Pride Festival with a fully interactive virtual Pride Parade and a Pride Concert. Buildings will still light up for Pride, flags will be flying high across the city and our community will still be there to support each other. Pride isn’t cancelled, we’re just bringing it home.

“Visit Dublinpride.ie to find out more about our Digital Pride Festival and the ways you can continue to support your LGBT+ community and organisations.”

Mother Club also shared the following message to those who were hoping to attend the Block Party:

“To all our extended Mother family, each year you help make our gorgeous Block Party THE best party of Pride season and for that we are so grateful. We have the best audiences and so it’s with the heaviest heart we have to announce that the Block Party will not happen in 2020.

“Not having the Block Party happen this year is the best decision for everyone’s health and safety but as the annual fundraiser for registered charity, GCN (Gay Community News), the loss of Block Party means an uncertain financial future for GCN.

“If you bought a ticket and you’re in a position to, we are asking you to consider donating 50% of the ticket back to us to keep GCN and Mother afloat during this challenging time. If you were planning on coming along but hadn’t bought a ticket, you can still support GCN and Mother by buying a Mother Tee on motherclub.ie. Community support has never looked so good!

“You’ve all been dancing with us for over a decade and we will dance again.

“Big queer love and solidarity, Cormac, Lisa and the Mother Family.”

So while Dublin Pride and Mother Pride Block Party may be cancelled for now, people can still come together through the Digital Dublin Pride Festival and enjoy Mother’s Kitchen Disco Mixes each weekend.

Stay safe, everyone.