Tel Aviv celebrates 16th-annual Gay Pride Parade

 

Celebrations this year are being held under the banner, "Tel Aviv marches for equality."

 

Staring from 10 a.m. community “happening” festivities began in Gan Meir park before the parade\’s official take off.

 

The much-anticipated parade set out from the park a little after noon and continue to proceed down Bogroshov Street, Ben Yehuda Street and the Tel Aviv promenade before ending in a massive beach party at Charles Clore Park. 

 

An estimated 30,000 foreign tourists were expected to arrive for the event in Tel Aviv – named "Best Gay City" in a 2011 survey conducted by the travel guide site GayCitites and ranked second best gay honeymoon destinations by Business Insider in 2013.

 

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, kicked off festivities at 11 a.m. and Israeli model-turned-Hollywood-actress, Moran Atias, was set to host the signature party – which will include the 2014 Tolerance Award – followed by other performances by famous Israeli artists.

 

Renowned transgender diva Dana International, who has been absent from the parade in recent years, will perform the official song of the Israeli LGBT movement, "Children are happiness," as the event\’s guest of honor.

 

Police on Friday closed various Tel Aviv roads in light of parade festivities.

 

Authorities were barricading the following streets from motor traffic from noon to 3:30 p.m.: Allenby Street- from Hamoshavot Square to Herbert Samuel Road; Arlozorov Street – from Ibn Gvirol Street to Hayarkon Street;

 

Bogroshov Street – from King George Avenue to Ben Yehuda Street; Ben Yehuda Street – from Allenby Street to Dizengoff Street; Hayarkon Street – from Rokah/Ibn Gvirol to Gan Hakovashim; Herbert Samuel Road/Koifman Street – from Sheleg Square (130 Hayarkon on the corner of Sheleg Street) to Jerusalem Boulevard; Marmourek Street – from Ibn Gvirol to Rothschild Boulevard; and Jerusalem Boulevard – from Ben Zvi Boulevard to Eilat Street.

 

Since the beginning of the week, businesses throughout Tel Aviv, which is home to Israel\’s largest LGBT community, began brandishing rainbow flags in solidarity with LGBT pride.

 

Rabin Square was aglow with pride every night this week ahead of the Pride Parade. Rainbow-colored LED light bulbs, marking Gay Pride Month, were decorating the Municipality building though Friday.