The most colorful time of the year is here. With the arrival of Pride Month, Sonoma County residents are getting ready to don their rainbow garb and spread the love at events and festivals.
Sparked by the 1969 Stonewall uprising in Manhattan and the first Pride march in New York City in June the following year, LGBTQ+ pride celebrations have long been held in June across the United States to recognize the impact of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and the intolerance they often face.
Sonoma County has its own unique LGBTQ+ history. While there has long been a prominent LGBTQ+ community in the county, it took years — and several failed attempts — for activists to get supervisors to recognize Pride Week in May 1992.
Today, pride flags fly high and LGBTQ+ life is celebrated year-round in Sonoma County, not just in June. But there are also special events planned to honor the month this year. Here’s what the county has in store for this year’s Pride Month.
June 1-5: Sonoma County Pride Parade and Festival
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Sonoma County Pride will hold its 35th annual Sonoma County Pride Parade and Festival in downtown Santa Rosa on June 4, with other special Pride events happening throughout the week. The theme of this year’s celebration is “We Are Family,” to salute bonds in the community.
The organization will kick off Pride Month with a pride flag raising on top of the Rosenberg Building at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 1, on the corner of Mendocino Avenue and Fourth Street in Santa Rosa.
Sonoma County Pride and sponsors will host a Pride Movie Night with a free showing of the romantic comedy-drama “Love, Simon” starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 2, in Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square.
From 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 3, there will be a Pride Happy Hour in Old Courthouse Square, featuring DJ Rotten Robbie and performances by singer-songwriter-guitarist Melissa Levi and modern jazz singer Spencer Day.
The Pride Parade will run along Fourth Street in Santa Rosa from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 4, with the festival kicking off at noon and continuing until 5 p.m. in Old Courthouse Square. Brent Farris and Debbie Abrams of KZST will be the parade’s masters of ceremonies and “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider will be the grand marshal. Honorees include Sonoma County LGBTQ+ historian Tina Dungan, owner of the LGBTQ+ tour and event company Out In The Vineyard Gary Saperstein, Healdsburg Mayor Osvaldo “Ozzy” Jimenez and Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Rogers. Parade floats and performances will be judged by a panel, and awards will be presented on the Festival Stage at 2 p.m.
Local LGBTQ+ social networking group Santa Rosa GayDar will host a Reunion Queer Dance Party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at La Rosa Tequileria & Grille on Fourth Street. A drag show will begin at 10:30 p.m. featuring hosts and drag queens Lolita Hernandez, Maria Twampson and Shania Twampson, with DJ Ron Reeser. The party and show is for adults age 21 and older. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
A Wigs & Waffles Drag Brunch will be held starting at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 5, in the 630 Park steakhouse at Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park. A drag show will begin at 11:30 a.m. with DJ host Juanita MORE! and performances by Rahni NothingMore, Mary Vice and Princess Panocha. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Rock M. Sakura will host a Pink Pool Party from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 5, at Graton Resort & Casino. Entertainment will be provided by DJs Lady Char, Hector Fonseca and Jimmy Hits, with special guest Natascha Bessez. General admission is $30, with other ticket options for poolside daybeds and cabanas with Champagne, fruit plates and amenities packages. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
For more information, go to Sonoma County Pride’s website at sonomacountypride.org.
June 4: Capo Creek Winery Pride Celebration
Healdsburg’s Cāpo Creek Winery will host a pride celebration on its estate with wine, food and special drag performances from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 4. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here.
7171 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-608-8448, capocreekranch.com
June 15: Pride Business Leadership Awards
North Bay Business Journal will host an awards show honoring LGBTQ+ business leaders in the North Bay from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15, at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-3600
June 25: Windsor Pride Festival
People4Parks, the Windsor Parks and Recreation Foundation, will present Windsor’s first Pride Festival from 2-9 p.m. on Saturday, June 25 on the Town Green. The family-friendly festivities will include a designated kid zone, a street fair with plenty of food and drink, a community fair with resources featuring over 20 Bay Area nonprofits and live performances with headliners Wonderbread 5 and The Purple Ones. The festival is free and open to all. Find more info at lovewinsinwindsor.com.
Windsor Town Green, 701 McClelland Drive, Windsor
Throughout June: Pride Month at Sonoma County Library
In addition to having its BiblioBus stationed at the Sonoma County Pride Festival from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, the Sonoma County Library will celebrate Pride Month with a handful of events and book clubs dedicated to LGBTQ+ history throughout the month.
The library has been hosting a Virtual Pride Club for Teens all year from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. Through June, it will continue to provide queer teens and allies with a virtual space to discuss books and other media showcasing LGBTQ+ voices. Register for the free Virtual Pride Club for Teens meetings here.
The library also hosts a Queer Book Club for adults from 6 to 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. June’s book club meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 8, and cover the romance novel “One Last Stop” by author Casey McQuiston. Register for the free Queer Book Club meeting here.
As part of its weekly Create Teen! crafting program for ages 12 and up, the Roseland Regional Library will celebrate Pride Month by hosting a Pride keychains and rainbow wall hangers workshop from 4 to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 10, and Friday, June 17. Snacks and all crafting materials will be provided for attendees. Register for the keychain-making event here and the wall hanger-making event here.
The library will close out Pride Month with an in-person presentation on the Sonoma County LGBTQI+ History Timeline. Local LGBTQ+ historians Tina Dungan and Shad Reinstein will hold an in-depth presentation on LGBTQ+ history in the North Bay, followed by questions and discussion. The event is for teens and adults and will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, at the Central Santa Rosa Library. Registration is not required, though encouraged. Register for the event at sonomalibrary.org.