Silicon Valley Pride week is in full swing, as the South Bay prepares for its annual parade and festival celebrating LGBTQ liberation. This year marks the 49th annual event, and organizers want people to "Get Loud."
Leading up to this weekend's parade, drag artist Kalypso won the Silicon Valley Pride Drag Queen Cooking Showdown Monday, which launched the week's festivities.
"Cooking in full drag, with long hair, huge lashes, and high heels, is not something I'd recommend — but it sure makes for an unforgettable experience," Kalypso stated to the Bay Area Reporter on August 20. "It was truly an honor to participate in this showdown, with the SV Pride community cheering us on. Winning was just the cherry on top."
A flag raising ceremony takes place Tuesday, August 20, at 5:30 p.m. at San Jose City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara Street.
Programming Thursday, August 22, includes the Pobladores Night Market from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in downtown San Jose, featuring queer musician Lisa Dewey, said Saldy Suriben, a gay man who is chief marketing officer for Silicon Valley Pride. Concurrently, from 6 to 9 p.m., there will be a Silicon Valley Pride movie night showcasing "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at the Pruneyard Cinemas in Campbell.
Then, on Friday, August 23, from 6 to 11 p.m. there'll be a Silicon Valley Pride kick-off party at the Continental Bar Lounge and Patio in downtown San Jose.
Weekend parade, festival
That's all the prelude to the festival — Saturday, August 24, from 6 to 11 p.m. and Sunday, August 25, from noon to 6 p.m. — in downtown San Jose's Plaza de César Chávez.
The Sunday parade kicks off at 10:30 a.m. from Julian and Market streets and makes its way to the plaza.
Admission to the festival is $5 per day, and the "Rocky Horror" showing has the price of the ticket to the movie theater, but otherwise "all of the Silicon Valley Pride week events are free of charge," Suriben said.
Silicon Valley Pride had been called San Jose Pride until 2014, when the name was changed to be more inclusive of the towns of the Santa Clara Valley and the Peninsula, and their growing populations due to the tech boom, said Suriben. It covers both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, though San Mateo County hosts its own Pride event in June.
With temperatures this weekend expected to be in the 80s Sunday afternoon, Silicon Valley Pride organizers are asking participants and attendees to take precautions against the heat.
"We highly encourage folks to hydrate, especially during the day festival, and wear, of course, your sunblock and sunscreen," Suriben said. "Another aspect, too, is we encourage folks to take public transportation using the VTA light rail station or buses. If you wanted to park, you can find parking in many downtown San Jose garages near the festival grounds and the parade. There's a free 90 minutes — 90 minutes is free to park — in downtown San Jose, and you can find more info at parksj.org."
The headliner of this year's Sunday festival is Lisa Lisa, who rose to fame as one-third of the band Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam in the 1980s. A press representative for Lisa Lisa did not return a request for comment.
Suriben said that for the first time, the festival is adding a third stage along Park Avenue. The first two stages are the main stage and the hip-hop and R&B stage; this year there will also be a "Hey Girl" stage.
Suriben said that since 2018, Silicon Valley Pride has used "Hey Girl" as a "subbrand of our organization amplifying female-identified individuals in the LGBTQ+ community that includes lesbians, bisexual women, trans women, any female-identified folks."
"We're also going to have a family garden, which consists of activities for children and also family activities, which includes the drag queen story time, and also acts to support the folks who have family or any folks with children," Suriben said.
The "Get Loud" theme is a nod to the upcoming elections, Suriben said.
"'Get loud' is your interpretation of getting out to vote, getting out to celebrate, whatever your interpretation of 'Get Loud' is," Suriben explained. "Get out there, and get loud in being your authentic self."
The newly opened Queer Silicon Valley Gallery in downtown San Jose will be welcoming visitors from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday during the Pride celebrations. It is located in a ground floor space of the United Food & Commercial Workers Building at 240 South Market, Suite 10 across from Cesar Chavez Park.
"In its inaugural show, Queer Silicon Valley by BAYMEC Community Foundation is proud to present an archival exhibition of ephemera and historical trinkets from the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus and Rainbow Women's Chorus that will run through November 24th," wrote gallery founder and BAYMEC Community Foundation Executive Director Ken Yeager in an email touting the first space for the South Bay's LGBTQ history.
For more information, visit svpride.com.
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