Griffith Park Gay-In

The Griffith Park Gay-In was started in the Los Angeles park of the same name in March 1968 and was an annual event for three years. Griffith Park had long been a cruising area for gay men at night, but by 1968 the gay liberation movement decided to hold a festival during the middle of the day for all GLBT individuals. It was a precursor to gay pride festivals that followed in major cities after the Stonewall riots. The Gay-In festivals suffered constant police harrasment with the 1970 event including some of the worst with police in riot gear and forming a charging line. The second Griffith Park Gay-In was held in July 1969 and took less of a festival tone and more overtly political in nature.