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California Pride
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California Pride

California is a national leader in celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. This is especially true during Pride Month when the state lights up with events, parades, festivals and more. In fact, during the last weekend of June in 1970, Los Angeles and San Francisco held the country’s first Pride parades. Today the Golden State has an array of celebrations statewide during Pride Month and a wealth of unique LGBTQ+ owned businesses making an impact on the community every day. 

SUMMER EVENTS

 

Redding Pride

Redding Pride is the largest annual gathering supporting the local LGBTQ+ community in the area. The festival supports diversity and attracts a wide range of businesses, organizations and nonprofits. 

 

Wine Country Pride

Sonoma is considered one of the most gay-friendly destinations in the country and the three-day, 36th annual Sonoma County Pride Celebration celebrates diversity with a family friendly extravaganza in downtown Santa Rosa from June 3-5, 2022. The weekend includes a Pride movie night, happy hour, parade and festival. 

 

Historic Pride

Fifty-two years after it held one of the country’s first Pride Parades, San Francisco gears up to celebrate again on June 25 and 26 at the Civic Center. The San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration and Parade will feature over 200 parade participants and exhibitors, and more than 20 community run stages and venues. It is the largest Pride celebration in the United States, attracting visitors from around the world.

 

Gold Country Sparkles

Join more than 20,000 revelers in downtown Sacramento for Sacramento Pride on June 12, 2022. The capitol mall morphs into an LGBTQ+ village with live music and drag performers, bars and vendors. For a more family friendly celebration, The Sacramento Children’s Museum hosts its annual Pride with Leo & Friends on June 25, 2022 featuring games, entertainment and Pride-themed activities for kids.  

 

End of the Rainbow

Held on the first Saturday every June, the Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival is the biggest LGBTQ+ parade in the Central Valley. The celebration takes place in the Tower District, and features a parade, entertainment and vendors. 

 

Time to Shine

Join Riverside’s charity Glow Walk for Love on June 18 which raises money for Riverside LGBTQ+ Pride. The night-time event has participants wandering through a course of glow-in-the-dark zones where they’ll encounter enchanting characters and be cheered on by a team of drag queen cheerleaders. Throughout the night there will be vendors, entertainment and more. 

 

Pride Weekend

San Diego celebrates Pride in July with one of the largest Pride Parades in the country, attracting over 300,000 people. Come see colorful floats, performers and more on July 16. The entire weekend is dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with the parade, a music festival in Balboa Park and a 5k run. 

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON UNIQUE LGBTQ+ BUSINESSES IN CALIFORNIA

 

Mendocino Getaway

The LGBTQ+ owned Glendeven Inn & Lodge offers an adults-only getaway in its 10-room European-inspired lodge. Guests will enjoy ocean views, a sumptuous breakfast and Mendocino County’s only wine barn. Roam the 15-acre property and you’ll likely run into the llamas and chickens along the way.

 

Jump Onboard

When you need a caffeine fix in San Luis Obispo, you’ll know you’ve found the best coffee shop in town when you see the rainbow flags flying at Skipper’s Brew. The LGBTQ+ owners serve up specialty espresso and matcha beverages along with pastries and Australian-style meat pies. The café hosts many events, drag shows and fundraisers throughout the year. 

 

Playing Proudly

Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles, the world’s first LGBTQ+ mariachi band, will delight crowds after the Long Beach Pride parade on July 10 at Hotel Maya’s Fuego restaurant. This unique ensemble was created as a safe haven for mariachi musicians who identify as LGBTQ+ to come together and perform traditional Mexican regional music. Long Beach was named in the top five destinations in the U.S. to celebrate Pride according to Orbitz. 

 

Belly up to the Bar

The Tin Lizzie Saloon in Costa Mesa is the oldest LGBTQ+ bar in the OC. With its red velvet banquettes and velvet embossed walls, the vibe is pure swank. Throughout the year the Tin Lizzie features live local music and drag bingo.

 

Brunch and a Show

In Palm Springs, brunch at Roly China Fusion is a must, not just for the all-you-can-eat dim sum but for the Drag Queen show hosted by Rosemary Galore. You’ll get your siu mai served with a side of sass and a big helping of fun. 

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