In many countries where discrimination or persecution still exists, Gay Pride events worldwide help break down barriers and bring people together. While Pride events vary from place to place, they serve the world by raising awareness and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people worldwide. Vallarta Pride is always a party in Mexico! Pride and Prejudice Sao Paolo, Brazil in South America, and Toronto and Banff in North America are also very popular. In Europe, Berlin, Madrid, Cologne, Paris, Rome, London, and Copenhagen are the biggest. Other major Pride Events in the United States include: Los Angeles (LA Pride), San Diego Pride, San Francisco Pride, Chicago Pride Fest, Houston LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration, Boston Pride, Denver Pride, Palm Springs Pride, The Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival, Annapolis Pride Parade & Festival, Pride Palooza in the Park (Binghamton, NY), The Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minneapolis, Honolulu Pride, and Atlanta Pride. NYC Pride has become a focal point for celebration worldwide, with millions gathering together. Waving pride flags in the United States has been happening for over 50 years since the first pride parade took place in New York City on June 28, 1970, one year after the Stonewall Riots of 1969.
Scroll down to see the full spectrum of events for 2022. Sunday evening, comedienne and rally emcee, Marga Gomez warmed up the crowd before Cyndi Lauper took the stage and sang songs with a rainbow flag wrapped about her."Pride," or "Gay Pride" as it is also known, has transformed from a "day" or a "weekend" or a "month" of celebration to PRIDE 365! For those who ask, when is Pride Month? It's typically considered to be in June (the first Pride Parade took place in New York City on June 28, 1970). Other entertainers included local favorites the Kickers Cloggers, and Candye Kane. Pride brought back some star power in 2002 in the form of Cyndi Lauper, who was the entertainment headliner at the festival. The Senior Connection provided a place for seniors to relax and socialize, The Xone stage did the same for LGBT youth under 25, and the Children’s Garden celebrated its 10th birthday. Inside, the festival offered a number of beverage gardens, a singles space hosted by the Bi Forum, multiple food courts and something to appeal to all members of the community. The front gate was moved further north along Balboa Drive, and the Main Stage was moved to its current location on the corner of Balboa Drive and Juniper Street. What had originally appeared to provide more than an ample amount of space had begun to burst at the seams. The festival had gradually grown in size since it originally moved to Marston Point/The Fruit Loop in 1993. Outstanding contingents included The Flame, Rich’s and Hash House A-Go-Go. Other honorees included Champions of Pride, Aaron Borovoy, John Laird, James Ziegler and former Pride co-chair Judi Schaim. The parade took place the following day at noon, and featured Grand Marshal Carolina Ramos, the regional director for Bienestar. There was no official keynote speaker, but the event was emceed by comedienne Marga Gomez. The Organ Pavilion had been home to the rally a number of times in the past, and provided enough space to accommodate a substantial crowd.
The rally was moved from the street in front of the Center, where it had been held since 1994, to a new/old location at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. The new name addressed the need to recognize the bisexual and transgender people in our community. What had been Gay Pride in the ‘70s, Lambda Pride in the ‘80s, and Lesbian and Gay Pride in the ‘90s, had finally become LGBT Pride.
The change was a long overdue recognition of the diversity within our own community. San Diego Lesbian and Gay Pride made its last name change to date in 2002 when it became San Diego LGBT Pride. Pride continued to reach out to people of different ethnic and racial backgrounds in various ways, such as the Pride program, which continued to be a largely bilingual publication, and the Rhythms of the Nations dance floor. In the first San Diego Pride to take place in the post-9-11 world, Pride chose to stress that we should take the view that we are all citizens of the world. “Pride Worldwide” was the San Diego Pride theme that year.