Santa Cruz Pride Parade delivers large, vibrant turnout for 51st installment (original) (raw)

SANTA CRUZ — Thousands of rainbow flags flew through downtown Santa Cruz Sunday as community members turned out to celebrate Santa Cruz’s 51st annual Pride Parade.

People of all ages spent the day decked out in rainbow and glitter as they cheered on parade acts who danced, cheered and passed out colorful goodies to enthusiastic onlookers.

The parade was a part of Santa Cruz Pride’s slew of events during the June pride season including drag shows, pride parade afterparties and an interfaith pride service.

This year’s grand marshals were Gail Groves and Dinah Phillips — the first same-sex couple to be married in Santa Cruz County in 2008 — as well as Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who officiated the couple’s marriage as the then-Santa Cruz County Clerk.

“The people who have been grand marshals in the past, we have so much respect for them and all the work they’ve done, and so it’s such an honor to be in that group,” Phillips said.

The two rode in a convertible at the head of the parade waving and yelling “happy pride” and “hooray for love” to spectators lining Pacific Avenue.

Groves has been attending Santa Cruz pride celebrations since the first “Gay Pride” event in 1975.

One of the first smaller city pride events in the nation and now the largest LGBTQ+ event on the Central Coast, Santa Cruz Pride started as a four-day event in San Lorenzo Park with workshops, a dance, a concert, a picnic and a festival in the park.

Nationally, Pride marches began in 1970 in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York following the 1969 Stonewall riots protesting the practice of police raids of LGBTQ+ bars in Manhattan.

Pride itself has changed since the first celebration 51 years ago, Groves said. It has always been joyous, she said, but early celebrations were met with anti-gay protesters.

“It’s more like a party,” Groves said about modern pride celebrations. Now, the parade sees support from faith services, like Peace United Church of Christ, and large companies, like Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Thousands lined Pacific Avenue on Saturday for the annual Santa Cruz Pride Parade. (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Phillips said her goal is to spread visibility, because people being open about their identities is how the world changes.

“To know us is to love us,” Phillips said. “So my goal is that we’re all able to be open and free and loving and able to walk down the street holding hands because we couldn’t do that for many years when we were together.”

Santa Cruz Pride draws participants from across Santa Cruz County but also sees turnout from people throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Ezra Yllan came to the parade from San Jose after his friends invited him to Santa Cruz for the weekend.

Yllan said Santa Cruz Pride is a more intimate, family-oriented experience compared to San Jose or San Francisco Pride, which made for a great community experience.

“It’s awesome to see my community coming together, celebrating one another and all of the accomplishments we’ve achieved over the years and just how far we’ve come and seeing where we’re going,” he said.

Yllan said his favorite acts were the cheerleaders from Cheer SF, skaters from Santa Cruz Roller Derby and PG&E’s truck — three of the parade’s 76 performers.

Local businesses and organizations donned their best rainbow gear to show support and allyship to the Santa Cruz community, including students and educators from local schools.

Bruce Van Allen, a trustee on the Santa Cruz County Board of Education and former mayor of Santa Cruz, has attended almost every Santa Cruz Pride Parade since its inception.

One of the most important things to the Santa Cruz County Office of Education is making sure there is an educational environment and opportunity for every student, Van Allen said, and to assist local school districts in making sure every student feels welcome and respected.

“In today’s world, there’s backlash and negative progress on that in some places,” Van Allen said. “And we here in Santa Cruz County are doing the best we can to protect all of the people who are going up there because that’s our responsibility.”

Santa Cruz Sunrise Rotary's contingent brought an enthusiastic spirit to Saturday's Pride Parade. (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Van Allen said he loves getting to march with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and celebrate inclusion.

Many attendees visit Santa Cruz Pride as a way to experience collective joy in the face of backlash, such as Katy Clawson, a Boulder Creek resident who saw the parade as a way to come together with friends for a day of celebration.

“We’re living in a time where people are trying to erase queer people,” Clawson said. “And I think it’s important that we keep showing up and keep showing out to remind people that we’re here and if they’re feeling like they are invisible or like they have to hide, they don’t have to keep doing that and whenever they’re ready, we’re here for them.”

Groves said that as grand marshals, she and Phillips wanted to demonstrate acceptance to people and show people both out and not that it’s OK to be open and proud with their love.

“Every moment of every day, there is a new gay child being born, it doesn’t end,” Groves said. “They may or may not be safe in their environment … It’s important all the time to show that we’re accepted, that we love each other and it’s OK to be out.”