San Diego Pride :: Freedom to Love and Marry

• PRINT
• EMAIL
• LARGE
• MEDIUM
• SMALL

The theme for San Diego Pride is "Freedom to Love and Marry," and signifies the historic battle for human rights fought for over the last many years.

Now that Prop 8 and DOMA have been defeated with the recent Supreme Court ruling, the significance of "Gay Pride" and our celebration of it take on a new meaning. It was a long, hard battle for sure, with many setbacks and disappointments, especially stinging here in California with the passage of Proposition 8. The recently recognized unconstitutionality of both goes far to healing that wound and is a burden we finally and gleefully shed here in the Golden State.

We converge every year to celebrate pride in who we are, those we love and each of our unique identities, a wonderful and necessary thing. It is especially relevant this year. So let's party, have fun and revel in the moment, because it merits commemoration to how far we've come and what can be accomplished when we join together.

TIME TO CELEBRATE OUR VICTORY:"FREEDOM TO LOVE AND MARRY!"

San Diego Pride Weekend happens from Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14 and will again include the official events, a community rally, the second annual Friday evening block party on Normal Street, a mile-long parade through the heart of Hillcrest and the two day weekend festival at Marston Point in beautiful Balboa Park.

Beginning on Friday, July 12 at 6 p.m. with the Spirit of Stonewall Rally opener in Hillcrest at the junction of Normal Street and the newly christened Harvey Milk Street. The rally cry begins with the annual raising of the Hillcrest Pride Flag and will include keynote speaker and parade Grand Marshal George Takei to open the celebration along with is husband Brad. Other speakers will include: Connor Maddocks, Project Trans Coordinator for The San Diego LGBT Center; Norma Chavez-Peterson, Associate Director of ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties and Vincent Pompei, Director of Adolescent Well-Being Programs for Human Rights Campaign.

This year's Spirit of Stonewall Honorees: Champion of Pride Araceli "Cheli" Mohamed; Friends of Pride Cindy Green and from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), Ted Olson and David Boies; Stonewall Service Award Winner Max Disposti and the North County LGBTQ Resource Center and Stonewall Community Service Award Winners Sean Bohac, Gibr�n Guido, Hector Martinez and Jeri Muse.

Following the Stonewall Rally, on Friday, July 12, the Pride of Hillcrest Block Party takes off for its second year presented by San Diego Pride and Fabulous Hillcrest. We're shutting down the streets and erecting dance stages for this gigantic block party at the intersection of Normal Street and University Avenue. Special guest will be #1 Billboard Dance Artist and former Pussycat Doll, Jessica Sutta, who shared, "I'm so excited and so honored to stand for the LGBT community and celebrate the freedom to love and marry." For tickets and more information go to fabuloushillcrest.com.

Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14 takes the Pride Festival celebration to Marsden Point in historic Balboa Park, with highlights that include multiple entertainment zones; a farmers market, hiNrg dance floor, beer gardens, Cool Zone for those 55+, Leather Realm, Interfaith Pavilion, Art of Pride (featuring LGBT local artists), Youth Zone, Children's Garden, Colors of Pride (diversity education area) and over 300 vendors; with an expected attendance of over 50,000.

Longtime supporter and pride headliner DJ Morgan Page performs the evening of Saturday, July 13 on the main stage, He said: "I'm excited to be a part of this year's San Diego Pride, as I believe everyone deserves the freedom to love and marry. It's a pleasure to give back to my fans in the LGBT community who have supported my music over the years."

Other featured Saturday performances include "Dirty Electro" pop singer Luciana, transexual sensation Amanda Lepore, drag comedienne Pandora Boxx, dance electronic singer Vassy and DJ Myndset.

The next day's entertainment line-up includes headliner Monica, performing the evening of Sunday, July 14. Of her performance she said, "I look forward to sharing the universal language we all call music as we celebrate love, freedom and togetherness!" As the featured opener to Monica's performance is this year's Voice of Pride competition winner selected from the talented performers from the six-week singing competition. Other notables for Sunday's day in the park include blues singer/songwriter, Beverly McClellan and country singer Justin Utley to name just a few.

For you health-minded, The Pride 5K Run and Walk will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 13 beginning and ending at University Avenue and Center Street. To register go to the Frontrunners and Walkers San Diego website.

This year's Pride Parade takes place on Saturday, July 13 and include Grand Marshals, activists and longtime husband and husband, Brad and George Takei as well as long-time supporter, the lovely La Toya Jackson. San Diego's parade is the fourth largest in the country, attracting upward of 200,000 people and begins at University Avenue, ending at Balboa Drive and Upas Street just north of the Pride Festival entrance.