OCEANSIDE, Calif. — June first is the beginning of Pride Month! Celebrations across the globe will take place, including here in San Diego. Saturday was Oceanside's 17th annual Pride by the Beach.
Pride by the Beach is put on by the North County LGBTQ+ Resource Center to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and highlight programs offered at the center. Programs include case managers for housing, food distribution and mental health support.
This year was the biggest Pride by the Beach yet. The event's director Roxanne Detheradge said there were more than 20,000 people in attendance and more than 170 booths.
Booths included vendors and organizations with resources, including Free Mom Hugs and the Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition.
"The support is great, I mean it’s something needed in the Native community and the visibility as well in the community so that’s what we’re here for and creating a safe space for our Native people," Tim Ruise with the Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition said.
Last year, Pride by the Beach won second place for the Best of North County Annual Festivals/Events.
"For a pride event to even be nominated is huge because in North County we have a lot of pockets of places that aren't friendly so to know that we have made this community so welcoming is amazing for all of us," Detheradge said.
A new addition this year is having the first ever Miss Pride by the Beach, Mole Dvine.
"I represent the Latino community and all communities that are misrepresented out here even in the queer space and I'm so happy and so grateful I can be the first one to represent everybody," Mole Dvine said.
Pride by the Beach is free, family-friendly and alcohol and tobacco-free. That's something Detheradge said is never going to change.
"We are always going to be free and family-friendly and alcohol-free," Detheradge said. "We always want to give a safe place for anyone who might be struggling with addiction."
As Pride celebrations kick off this month, the North County LGBTQ+ Resource Center made sure to shine a light on LGBTQ+ communities in North County.
"It's a momentous thing for Oceanside to see something like this because we know it's a conservative area. We're shining through and showing that we're here, we're queer and we're not going anywhere," Reina Shine said.
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