The capital of California and a city with a growing and surprisingly visible and active gay and lesbian community, Sacramento throws its annual Gay Pride celebration in late June, as many other cities do around the country - in 2010, the date of the main Pride Parade and Festival is slated for Saturday, June 19. It's a week before San Francisco Gay Pride, and a week after Los Angeles Gay Pride.
Shop for the best hotel deals in Sacramento during Gay Pride.
Here's a recap of last year's Sacramento's Gay Pride - details on the 2010 event will be posted as they become available.
Before the big weekend, there are several noteworthy events leading up to the festivities. Events were still in the planning as of this writing, but in the past, these have included a Dyke March at the State Capitol, a Pride Party thrown by the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce; and a Pride social mixer at the popular Mexican restaurant Zocalo (1801 Capitol Ave.).
Also, the day after the parade and festival, Raging Waters Sacramento Water Park (1600 Exposition Blvd.) hosts an official LGBT Day (tickets cost $19.99.
On the big day, Saturday, the Sacramento Gay Pride Parade starts at 10 am, just outside the California State Capitol building at N and 13th streets. It proceeds west along N Street, turns south down 7th Street, and ends at 6th and T streets, on the edge of Southside Park, the site of the Pride Festival.
The Sacramento Pride Festival runs from 10 am until 6 pm on Saturday. It takes place in leafy Southside Park. The festival comprises vendors and booths featuring local GLBT-friendly businesses and organizations, and entertainment throughout the day - this year, a new event at the festival is a curated Pride Art Show.
Additionally, plenty of gay-popular restaurants, hotels, and shops will be extra busy during this busy time, and catering heavily to LGBT visitors. Check local gay papers, such as Outword Magazine and Mom Guess What; and look to the Sacramento CVB's excellent Gay and Lesbian Visitor Page.
