SAN DIEGO — In Balboa Park, the San Diego Pride festivities continued Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., wrapping up a very successful weekend.
“We expect by the end of the day to have between 45,000 and 55,000 people to have come through the festival and it’s just diversity of experiences,” said Fernando Lopez, Executive Director for San Diego Pride.
“We build an LGBT city within a city once a year and it’s so amazing to be back after three years away," said Lopez.
Festival goers enjoyed all kinds of food, fun, and festivities in Balboa Park near 6th Avenue and Laurel Street. As part of the celebration, musicians and other performing artists took to the stage to entertain big crowds.
All this comes after a very successful parade Saturday, which hosted over 265 contingents and parade attendance estimated at around 250,000 people. And Saturday night, many people packed in front of the stage to enjoy a headlining performance by Snow tha Product and Daya.
All in all, this year’s return to an in-person event felt like a big reunion to many people who waited three years for this to happen. Lopez couldn’t be happier with how well everything went for Pride this weekend.
“All of our staff, our volunteers, all the community partners, entertainers, every one that came out really made Pride a success,” said Lopez. “It was an incredible family reunion today and all weekend long. Excitement was in the air. I just couldn’t be more happy.”
San Diego Pride’s Parade and Festival is one of the biggest in the nation. Since its founding, San Diego Pride has granted over $3 million back to the local and international LGBTQ+ community from the revenue generated by the annual Pride week events.
WATCH RELATED: San Diego Pride Festival kicks off in Balboa Park (July 2022).