SaMo PRIDE Art Walk Returns to Santa Monica This June
The Santa Monica Pier, Downtown Santa Monica and Santa Monica Place, in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism present the return of SaMo PRIDE. A celebration of love in every color, the event will feature “Miles of Pride,” a rainbow-lit art walk across the city featuring creations by LGBTQIA+ visual artists, in addition to safe, family-friendly programming throughout the month. The art walk is presented in partnership with Allies in Arts, a local nonprofit whose mission is to support womxn, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ artists who are often underrepresented in creative industries.
Costa Mesa is Your Next LGBTQ Destination
Nestled between Los Angeles and San Diego is Costa Mesa, a vibrant, eclectic city home to Strut Bar & Club, Orange County’s premier gay bar and club in Costa Mesa. The venue offers an all-inclusive playground for colorful queers, fabulous ladies and every form of self-expression in between. Every week, it hosts Drag Queen Bingo, Les Girls Drag Experience and a RuPaul’s Drag Race watch party. Long time Costa Mesa hangout, Tin Lizzie Saloon, dates back to the 1950s. The red-hued Victorian atmosphere attracts locals and visitors to mingle, enjoy drinks and music on the jukebox, play pool, and meet up with friends. They also host Drag Bingo the third Wednesday of each month.
Celebrate Pride Festival This November in Palm Springs
From Nov. 5-7, Palm Springs will be home to Pride Festival, the largest LGBTQ gathering in the Coachella Valley and the destination’s signature community event showcasing diversity and celebrating inclusion. Enjoy beverages and food with friends on Palm Canyon Drive while exploring over 200 diverse exhibitors, non-profit organizations, live entertainment and more. The event is expected to be the largest in-person Pride in 2021.
Celebrating Pride Month in Santa Rosa
After a challenging year of cancellations and lockdowns, this year’s Sonoma County Pride celebration returns with hope and positivity. The month will include a series of safe and socially distanced micro-events in various venues throughout Sonoma County. This year’s theme, “Beyond the Rainbow: Surviving, Reviving and Thriving,” takes inspiration from The Wizard of Oz to offer renewal and support to the LGBTQ community. For a list of 2021 Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Pride events, visit www.visitsantarosa.com/sonoma-county-pride2021.
San Luis Obispo Hosts Pride Week and Month-Long Art Installation May Thru June
Throughout the month of May, Central Coast Pride Center welcomes locals and visitors to celebrate, honor and promote the visibility of San Luis Obispo’s LGBTQ community with its 25th Anniversary Pride Celebration. Themed “Strong. Proud. United.,” events will include Pride in the Park, Pride’s Got Talent, live entertainment, youth night and more. For event details including virtual options and safety regulations for in-person events, visit www.slopride.com. In June, San Luis Obispo de Tolosa’s Mission Plaza will be home to a free public art installation, hosted by the Central Coast Pride Center, entitled “Love Notes” by the center’s curator, Lynn Schmitt.
Sacramento Pride and “Take Your Pride Outside” Initiative
Sacramento Pride is an LGBTQ celebration that includes a Parade March followed by an outdoor party on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall. The outdoor party will have high-energy live music, a dance pavilion, an activity-rich kid’s zone, local vendors and plenty of food trucks. Also, within the Capitol Mall exhibition area, there will be community service vendor booths representing organizations providing unique services, support and information throughout the event. This event is subject to all COVID-19 restrictions for large public events and/or gatherings. Additionally, this year, OARS and the Sacramento LGBT Community Center partnered on a “Take Pride Outside” initiative. Throughout the month of June, OARS will donate $5 to the Sacramento LGBT Community Center for every person who rafts the South Fork of the American River for Pride Day and any Sunday-Friday in June. There will also be first-ever Pride Day at OARS American River Outpost in Lotus, CA on June 12.
LA Pride to Feature In-Person Events for Expanded Month-long Thrive with Pride Celebration
In addition to the Thrive with Pride live streamed TikTok concert with Charli XCX, the ABC-7 televised special and the month-long Pride Makes a Difference philanthropic volunteer/donate activation, LA Pride has announced two new, larger capacity and outdoor in-person events. The LA Dodgers baseball team has partnered with LA Pride to host LGBTQ+ night at Dodger Stadium on June 11. An LGBTQ+ artist will kickstart festivities with a rendition of the National Anthem, and after the main event, vaccinated fans will be welcomed onto the field to watch a fireworks show. For the first time ever LA Pride has partnered with the most popular outdoor film organization in Southern California, Cinespia, for an only-in-LA night under the stars with an LGBTQ+-night at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on June 26. Each event will have its own separate ticketed capacity restrictions, COVID-19 safety protocol and guest regulations.
West Hollywood Pride
Pride in West Hollywood is 24/7, 365, but really revs up during the month of June.The West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating WeHo Pride June 25-27. While there won’t be a parade, many West Hollywood businesses will be participating with special events and offers. The City is also putting on it’s annual “One City One Pride,” a 40-day celebration of LGBTQ Arts spanning May 22-June 30. A full list of virtual and socially distanced events can be found here.
Note: As communities re-open after COVID-19-related closures, some parks, businesses and attractions may still be closed or have new protocols in place. Please verify local guidelines and regulations for all destinations and hours and availability of individual businesses before publishing. Check out Visit California’s Responsible Travel Hub for guidance on how visitors can travel within California safely.
Where to Celebrate Pride in California
This June (and beyond!), cities across California will gather to celebrate and support their local LGBTQ communities. Below is a list of Pride events taking place that offer local and visitor-friendly safe gatherings for everyone to enjoy.
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