After a two-year hiatus, the North County LGBTQ Resource Center’s staff, board, and volunteers are excited to return to in-person celebrations for this year’s 2022 Pride by the Beach celebration, hosted on Saturday, June 11, 2022, from noon – 6 P.M.
This year is especially momentous because Pride by the Beach turns 15 years old!
The festival is free, family-friendly, and alcohol and tobacco-free with more food and retail vendors than ever before –including vegetarian and vegan options.
Two stages for live entertainment and community will feature live music, spoken word, elected official and keynote addresses, and an inaugural pet contest.
The festival attracts up to 10,000 visitors to downtown Oceanside, just blocks away from the actual beach—and the Top Gun house.
About Pride by the Beach
The annual Oceanside celebration is the largest family-friendly and sober-promoting event (non-alcohol and tobacco sponsored product or corporations), in the region.
Theme and Resources:
This year’s theme is “Together” which recognizes the excitement and need for our community to come together in celebration, protest, and mutual aid.
Resources for LGBTQIA+ individuals and a youth zone will center mental health services; recovery and harm reduction resources; HIV/AIDS testing; youth and leadership development; and The North County LGBTQ Resource Center’s Unicorn Homes program, a project which finds and trains local host homes to support youth at risk of homelessness.
Dr. Julie Vitale, superintended for Oceanside Unified School District was selected as this year’s keynote address. Her advocacy work includes implementing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Department, raising the Pride flag at district offices. And was instrumental in the creating the inaugural Lead with Pride Summit, sponsored by Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and is serving as the conference chair.
Entertainment:
The Los Angeles-based BOI BAND will perform on the main stage, just one day after their official EP release and as part of their EP release weekend. You can check out their music video, Ferris Wheel, on YouTube, where it has been viewed over 33,000 times.
BOI BAND an all-Queer pop vocal band comprised of singers of various sexual orientations and gender identities, “representing the beauty and diversity of the Queer community,” according to their website.
Hosting the event is popular nightclub owner and Drag entertainer Paris Sukomi Max and community activist Butterfly Luv Hugz.
Other performances include Las Sabrosas, a Latin orchestra, back by popular demand after closing out last year’s North County LGBTQ Resource Center ten-year anniversary gala.
DJs include DJ Ciara Beats and DJ Topeka Clementine “Kai.”
Local performances include theholyrainbowclub, aka Lana, an Oceanside-based artist who is passionate about music and helping others see the divinity within themselves.
Tony Ocean, rap and R&B artist, will also perform, known for his Oceanside-tribute song, Endless Summer.
Local drag performers will include Escondido rising legend, Miss Keri Oki, who just performed at the 2022 Say Gay Queer Prom, as well as the local Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and Oceanside-based Asteria’ Le Fierce (Lee Amethyst).
LGBTQ Center Staff (courtesy images)
About The Center
The North County LGBTQ Resource Center’s mission is to serve, empower and advocate for San Diego North County’s diverse LGBTQI+ community. The lifesaving services and programs The Center has created have helped thousands of LGBTQIA+ people. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic, The Center has never closed its doors, and has in fact, increased its services to the community.
The Center’s reach extends to over 13 cities in the North San Diego region, as well as Camp Pendleton. Programs include mental health resources, support groups for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, middle school and high school support groups, HIV testing, PReP and STI screening navigation, and transitional housing navigation for youth at risk for homelessness.
As stated by Max Disposti, Executive Director and Founder, “We know that every person is worthy of dignity and respect.” The Center envisions a community where everyone lives in equality, feels accepted, valued, safe and free from social stigma. Everything we do is heart-centered and stems from love.
Join in the celebration and learn more about Pride at www.PrideByTheBeach.org
and about the North County LGBTQ Resource Center at www.ncresourcecenter.org.
