MIAMI BEACH, FL–Long-time LGBTQ community advocate Dave Cook has been named Executive Director for the Eighth Annual Miami Beach Gay Pride parade and festival, according to Mark Fernandes, who is returning as the Chairman of the Pride organizing committee. Cook replaces outgoing Executive Director Ivan Cano who has left to become the CEO of World OutGames Miami 2017. Miami Beach Gay Pride will take place April 8 – 10, 2016.
“With the exponential growth of Pride over the past seven years, the responsibilities for producing an event of this magnitude have also increased,” Fernandes said. “To ensure next year’s Pride is the best event ever for the community, we’ve brought in Dave Cook who is not only well connected and respected in the community, but also possesses a wealth of experience producing special events.”
Cook will be responsible for the overall production of the three-day Miami Beach Gay Pride 2016, everything from sponsorships and parade coordination to festival layout and volunteer coordination, Fernandes said. Previously, Cook was a special event consultant working on events such as Miami Beach Gay Pride; the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Galas; National LGBTQ Task Force Creating Change Conferences, Miami Recognition Dinners and Winter Party Festivals, Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festivals, the Pink and Purple Gala and many others.
Since its inception in 2009, Miami Beach Gay Pride has grown from a neighborhood event to an event on the global stage with A-list celebrities such as Mario Lopez as Grand Marshal in 2015, Gloria Estefan as Grand Marshal in 2014 and Adam Lambert performing in 2013. Attendance has grown as well. An estimated 15,000 spectators turned out for the first Pride parade in 2009; an estimated 130,000 attended the event in 2015, which attracted not only South Floridians, but also visitors from throughout the world.
Miami Beach Gay Pride is produced with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority. For more information, visit www.miamibeachgaypride.com.
Photo Credit: bizbash.com
