Moving Past the Pop Culture Festivities and on to a Celebration of Equality | San Diego LGBT Pride Festival - June 20-22, 2012

July 16, 2012

With Comic Con 2012 in the rear view mirror, the next big event to hit America's Finest City is the San Diego LGBT Pride Festival which takes place in historic Balboa Park July 20 - 22nd.  In anticipation of the San Diego Pride Festival, SanDiegoVille.com will be publishing a new Pride-related article each day this week, so be sure to stay classy and keep checking in with us!

The specific purpose of San Diego Pride is to produce civic, cultural and educational programs, which support and encourage pride within San Diego's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. The annual Pride Festival is a weekend for members of the LGBT community and supporters of equality for all to come out and be proud and celebrate who they are.  Its all about fostering pride and respect for all individuals and celebrating the uniqueness that makes people special.


San Diego Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride weekend proudly kicks off as it continues the tradition of holding the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 20 at 6:00 pm.  This year the rally returns to the heart of Hillcrest and is being held at Harvey Milk and Normal Streets.  The theme of the event which kicks off the weekend of celebration is: “America’s Pride” because equality is an American value!  The Stonewall Rally is free to participants.

Pride celebrations occur all over the country.  Everywhere, Pride festivals trace their heritage to the eventful evening of June 28, 1969 when patrons of the Stonewall Inn in New York City said “No more!” to the harassing tactics of the New York Police. That protest has grown to annual events held in major cities throughout the world. In San Diego, the first rally was held in 1975. Today, across the world we still face challenges to our diverse community. The Stonewall Rally is a call to re-energize the Spirit of Stonewall and focus our energy on the new wave and next generation of the LGBT movement and LGBT activism.

Dr. Clarence B. Jones

San Diego Pride has invited Dr. Clarence B. Jones as the keynote speaker for this year’s Stonewall Rally.  Dr. Jones served as personal legal counsel to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and helped draft the acclaimed “I Have A Dream” speech.   Dr. Jones is Scholar in Residence, Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.  He is also one of the most prominent and vocal African-American supporters of LGBT civil rights and same sex marriage.  Dr. Jones, who was recently invited by President Obama to introduce him at a CA event, is sure to wow us with his remarks.

Join participants at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally for music, award presentations and to hear  Dr. Clarence Jones.  And be sure not to miss the grand finale of the Rally which will be the first ever raising of the Pride Flag on the new 65’ tall Hillcrest Pride Flagpole spearheaded by the Hillcrest Business Association.

Located in Historic Balboa Park, the actual Pride Cultural Festival takes place on Saturday July 21 from noon-10pm and Sunday July 22nd from 11am to 8pm at Marston Point on 6th and Laurel St.  55,000 participants are expected to attend this year's Pride celebration, which has become a premier Pride event in California.  San Diego Pride's famous cultural Festival includes multiple stages of entertainment, more than 80 musicians, bands, comedy and dance performers, amusement park rides and games, 300 participating vendor booths, an art exhibit, cultural presentations, great food, and much more!

Highlights include three entertainment stages, a farmer's market, a dance floor, beer gardens, a wine grotto, a cool zone for those 55+, a leather realm, a interfaith pavilion, a collection of the art of Pride (LGBT local artists), a youth zone and children's garden, and over 300 vendors.  Families, youth, and people of all ages are invited to participate in the annual Pride Festival.  Single day tickets are $20 or $30 for the whole weekend and can be purchased online.

For more information visit the San Diego LGBT Pride website and follow SD Pride on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to check back throughout the week for more information from SanDiegoVille.com.