Redwood City – The theme of this year’s San Mateo County Pride Celebration and Parade is “Love at Our Core, Pride in 2024” as the kick-off for June Pride Month begins with a June 3 flag raising at County Center in Redwood City.
This year’s celebration comes amid conflicting currents: The County is marking the 10th anniversary of the creation of the state’s first LGBTQIA+ commission, at the same time anti-LGBTQIA+ harassment is a growing concern.
“San Mateo County prides itself on being a welcoming and inclusive community,” Supervisor Dave Pine said during a Board meeting where supervisors designated June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally and Two Spirit Pride Month. “But we are not immune from hateful acts.”
Local LGBTQIA+ individuals and their allies want to counter hate with what they consider the ideal way to celebrate: by inviting the entire community to the June 8 Pride Celebration and Parade.
“This is the largest free, family-friendly and sober Pride celebration in the Bay Area,” said Krystle Cansino, co-chair of the County’s LGBTQIA+ Commission, one of the event’s co-sponsors.
Flag Raising
Join members of the LGBTQIA+ Commission and https://coastpride.org/ and their allies at a ceremonial raising of the Progress Pride Flag at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 3, in the courtyard at 400 County Center, Redwood City. (Metered parking is available at the County garage on Middlefield Road and on streets.) Speakers include Supervisor Dave Pine, Cameron Zeller, operations director of CoastPride, and Venus Itzuri Perez-Hernandez, founder of the Mariposa Outreach Project. The County will livestream the event on its Facebook page.
Pride Celebration and Parade
This year’s 12th annual Pride Celebration and 2nd annual Parade includes colorful floats, food trucks, information from local organizations and much more. The following takes place on Saturday, June 8:
Parade: The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at 2nd Ave. and B Street in San Mateo and winds its way to Central Park, 50 E. 5th Ave.
Celebration: From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central Park will be home to live entertainment, vendor booths, family-friendly activities and more.
Learn more at https://www.smcpridecelebration.com/
Do you know why June is Pride Month?
From the Library of Congress: June 28, 1969, marked the beginning of the Stonewall Uprising, a series of events between police and LGBTQ+ protesters that stretched over six days. It was not the first time police raided a gay bar, and it was not the first time LGBTQ+ people fought back, but the events that would unfold over the next six days would fundamentally change the nature of LGBTQ+ activism in the United States.
Tanya Beat
tbeat@smcgov.org