by cutter slagle – 

In September’s issue, The Rage Monthly detailed the tenth annual South Bay Pride event that took place in Chula Vista. Now as fall explodes into full force, it seems that Pride is an accessory that isn’t going out of fashion anytime soon.

I recently had the privilege of chatting with Shannon Rose, a woman involved in North County’s Pride by the Beach event, which will be celebrating its tenth anniversary on Saturday, October 14 and Max Disposti, the executive director of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center and founder of Pride by the Beach.

Both Shannon and Max spoke about how the event began, how it’s evolved throughout the past decade and why it’s important for North County to have its own Pride celebration. “Since the very beginning, Pride by the Beach was intended to be a community effort,” Disposti offered.

“In 2008, we were organizing our first Pride event as we were planting the seeds for the creation of a community LGBTQ Center, right here in the heart of North San Diego County. The positive community response to our Pride and the need to have more visibility and representation became prominent in the process.”

“We started in a gym with 800 attendees,” Rose added. “As Pride at the Beach grew, we moved to Betty’s Lot down at the beach in Oceanside and there we stayed for a few years. Then in 2014 we took Pride to the streets of Downtown Oceanside, we changed our name to Pride by the Beach and welcomed over 5000 guests and each year we continue to grow. Even with that growth, we make it a priority to keep our community focus within the planning of Pride.”

“It was focusing on North County visibility and not really meant to become a Pride event, as our resources were very limited and all volunteered run. After the first year’s success, it was clear that our community needed something local that could express our demands for equality and queer representation.”

“When North County Pride was first thought up, it was mostly organized around the significance of Coming Out Day,” Disposti continued. “It was focusing on North County visibility and not really meant to become a Pride event, as our resources were very limited and all volunteered run. After the first year’s success, it was clear that our community needed something local that could express our demands for equality and queer representation.”

Shannon added her take, “We are a smaller Pride, but that doesn’t imply that we are ‘less than,’ we are still very community-focused. Yes, we still provide entertainment for our guests like the larger versions and we make sure our Pride is accessible for people of all ages. Often times at Pride events, there are places that LGBTQ youth are unable to participate, Pride by the Beach is open to everyone regardless, and is also free to the community.”

Though Pride by the Beach continues to grow each year, the ten-year-strong event is far from resting on its laurels. “Since 2008, many things have changed, including our local and national LGBTQ panorama,” opined Disposti.

“While Pride has now become an event of 6,000 people, we still have a lot of work to do to make sure our presence is truly visible throughout the county, so that our cities can get fully represented. In order to do so, we have to expand our diverse leadership team so that more underrepresented communities can have a voice and a platform to bring the many thousands from each corner of our region. There is no reason why North County Pride could not become an attraction and another relevant Pride of Southern California, after San Diego, Long Beach and Palm Springs.”

Pride by the Beach guests can expect a fun, sunny day with Lunden Reign on the Atmosphere Events Stage for those who like to rock it out and Girlboy will be appearing for pop and rap fans. Shea Freedom will be returning to Pride, providing a laid-back, soulful folk style and the 2017 Pride by the Beach headliner is pop star and American Idol “finalist,” David Hernandez…And finally, the Rockstar Entertainment Community Stage will this year, allow guests to sign up for an open mic segment.

Pride by the Beach takes place on Saturday, October 14, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., just three blocks away from the Oceanside Pier. For a full schedule of events or more information, go to: northcountypride.com.

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