Celebrating PRIDE in Santa Monica
June 3, 2019 3:14 PM
by Christopher Smith
Santa Monica has officially kicked off SaMoPRIDE — our first-ever Pride Month—celebrating the LGBTQIA community, individuality, inclusivity, and love.
"Earlier this year, City Council identified six values that provide the foundation for all the work we do – accountability, equity, inclusion, resilience, safety and stewardship. These values aren’t new to Santa Monica, they are engrained in who we are," said Santa Monica Mayor Gleam Davis. "We take pride in being a safe and welcoming place where people of all backgrounds can thrive. And the LGBTQIA community is very much part of that. We believe gay, lesbian transgender, and gender-fluid people are integral to the social and economic wellbeing of our community.
Miles of Pride—now on display at the Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica City Hall and at the Santa Monica Pier—features rainbow lights shining brightly every night in June, serving as a backdrop for a full calendar of events that bring together the Santa Monica community and guests from around the world. In addition, City Hall is flying the Pride flag and is cast in Pride colors, a display in the lobby features members of our local LGBTQAI community, and a Big Blue Bus is wrapped for Pride Month.
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Staff raised the Pride flag on May 31 for the beginning of Pride Month. |
Big Blue Bus is getting in the spirit and wrapped one of their buses for SaMoPride. |
We hope you join us for family-friendly events presented by the City, Downtown Santa Monica, Santa Monica Pier and Santa Monica Place, including food festivals, storytime and crafts for kids, happy hours, silent discos and more. And, please join us for the June 11th City Council meeting for the City’s Pride Month proclamation. Prior to the meeting, we will have a reception in the lobby with refreshments.
Here are a few event highlights:
June 1: SAMO PRIDE LIGHTING CEREMONY AND PARTY
June 5: FRANK DECARO AND PANDORA BOXX PRESENT DRAG!, Main Library, 7 p.m.
June 6: SOUNDWAVES: JOHN CAGE’S “LECTURE ON NOTHING”, Main Library, 7:30 pm
June 11: RAINBOW FAMILY STORYTIME (KIDS EVENT), Pico Library, 12:30 pm
June 11: PRIDE MONTH PROCLAMATION AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING & RECEPTION IN THE LOBBY PRIOR TO THE MEETING
June 15: SUMMER READING BLASTOFF WITH MARIACHI ARCOIRIS DE LOS ANGELES, Main Library, 11 am to noon
June 15: WEST COAST RISING: GAY LIBERATION IN THE GOLDEN STATE, Main Library, 3 – 4:30 pm
June 15: PRIDE ON THE PROMENADE, 3rd Street Promenade, 3 – 10 p.m.
June 28: LIBRARY BEACH POP-UP WITH DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR, Annenberg Beach House, 10 – 11 am.
June 29: KIDICAL MASS BIKE RIDE, 9 am – 12p.m. Start location to be announced.
There are so many fun events happening for Pride! You can find everything happening on the Pier, Promenade, City venues, and elsewhere around town at smpride.com.
Authored By
Christopher Smith
Sergeant