2009 San Diego LGBT Pride Festival

Join Locals and Tourists for the 35th Annual Celebration

Jul 14, 2009

On July 18 and 19, join 50,000 San Diegans and tourists for the annual Pride Festival which honors diversity and celebrates the LGBT community at large.

On the third weekend in July, San Diegans celebrate the annual LGBT Pride weekend. This year, the festivities will take place on July 18th and 19th, and they will mark the 35th anniversary of the city’s parade and festival. The weekend kicks off with the Pride Parade at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and the festival opens shortly thereafter. Attendance for the festival alone is expected to reach nearly 50,000 participants while attendance for the parade is estimated at 160,000 spectators.

The Pride Festival is open to participants of all ages and welcomes individuals from all walks of life. This inclusive attitude and concern for meeting the various needs of community members is reflective of the core values of San Diego Pride, among which are diversity, respect, honesty, integrity, and accountability. The festival organizers work hard to ensure that the gathering is a safe place for one and all by providing a SAFETY team to answer questions or assist with concerns.

Time Frame, Location, and Tickets

The Pride Festival will open at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, after the parade has gotten underway. The festival will then continue until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday night and will be open again on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The festival will be held at Marston Point in Balboa Park, near 6th Ave. and Laurel Street. Parking will be very tight, so festival organizers are encouraging attendees to carpool, take public transportation, and to make use of the free shuttle that will be provided. Information regarding the free shuttle can be found on the San Diego Pride website.

Tickets are $20 for an adult (good for use on either day of the festival). Students with valid ID are $10 and military with active ID will be allowed to enter free of charge.

Admittance and Activities

Within the festival, there will be vendor booths and a variety of stages with live entertainment, as well as a beer garden and a wine grotto. Additionally, there will be art exhibits, health and wellness tents that provide information regarding healthy living, a farmer’s market presented by Vons, and an area known as “Green with Pride” that is dedicated to educating the public about recycling efforts.

When it comes to the live entertainment, local groups such as the San Diego Women’s Chorus and individuals such as Veronica May, the recent winner of a San Diego Music Award, will be performing. The headliner for this year’s event will be The Lady Chablis, a noted performer and drag entertainer, who will be featured on the Pride Stage at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night.

And, because San Diego Pride makes a concerted effort to uphold its core value of diversity, every effort is made to welcome children of all ages to the festival and to provide a safe and nurturing environment for them. As such, this year’s festivities include a Children’s Garden which will feature a luau theme, complete with hula lessons, face painting, and a hot potato contest.

Ready, Set, Go!

As the summer sun heats things up, grab a bottle of water and a good pair of walking shoes and join local San Diegans (and visitors) for a weekend of activities and activism. Get ready to cheer loudly at the parade and enjoy the offerings of the festival, all the while remembering the efforts and sacrifices of those who worked diligently to make this event possible.

The copyright of the article 2009 San Diego LGBT Pride Festival in Gay/Gender Issues is owned by Kristin Krogh. Permission to republish 2009 San Diego LGBT Pride Festival in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.