Silicon Valley Pride
{{Short description|LGBT pride celebration in San Jose, California}}
{{Infobox recurring event
|name = Silicon Valley Pride
|image_size = 275px
|alt =
|caption =
|genre = Pride parade and festival
|organized = Billy DeFrank Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center
|frequency = Last weekend in August
|location = San Jose, California
|first = {{start date|1975}}
|current =
|website = {{url|https://www.svpride.com/}}
}}
Silicon Valley Pride, also known as San Jose Pride, is an annual LGBT pride celebration in San Jose, California, the largest city in Silicon Valley. Founded in 1975, it is organized by the Gay Pride Celebration Committee of San Jose.
History
File:First gay pride proclamation for the City of San José.jpg in 1987.]]
San Jose Pride began as a gay rights rally in 1975 at San José State University.[https://www.queersiliconvalley.org/pride-history/ Queer Silicon Valley - History of Silicon Valley Pride] The following year, it evolved into the San Jose Gay Pride Festival, held at St. James Park from 1976 until 1985 (except for 1981 and 1982, when it was held at Plaza de César Chávez).
In 1986, San Jose Pride moved out of Downtown San Jose, to the SJSU Athletic Fields in Spartan Keyes. It was then based at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on Monterey Road from 1987 until 1993.
In 1993 and 1994, pride was held in The Alameda district, first on The Alameda and then on Stockton Ave. Many gay-owned businesses began to spring up in this quiet west-downtown neighborhood, creating one of the first gayborhoods in Silicon Valley.
In 1995, the Pride Parade and Festival was brought back to Downtown San Jose, to the Discovery Meadow, where it was held until 2014.
In 2014, San Jose Pride renamed itself to Silicon Valley Pride, to be more inclusive of San Jose's neighboring communities across the Silicon Valley region. The location of the festival has changed over the years, but it has always taken place within the city of San Jose.The Mercury News - [http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_26355234/silicon-valley-pride-festival-is-small-but-feisty Silicon Valley Pride Festival Is Small But Feisty]The Mercury News - [http://www.mercurynews.com/san-jose-neighborhoods/ci_18713127 San Jose Gay Pride Festival is 'Moving Forward Together' on Aug. 20 and 21]Bay Area Reporter - [http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=69963 Report]The Mercury News - [http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=69679 Report]{{cite web |url=http://www.sanjose.org/content/san-jose-gay-pride-festival |title=San Jose Gay Pride Festival {{pipe}} San Jose - Innovation Starts Here {{pipe}} Team San Jose |accessdate=2015-05-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924094046/http://www.sanjose.org/content/san-jose-gay-pride-festival |archivedate=2015-09-24 }}
Since 2015, pride has been held in the vicinity of Plaza de César Chávez.
Gallery
File:Silicon Valley Pride Parade 2016 - -SVPride2016 (29178186920).jpg|Pride parade
File:Silicon Valley Pride Parade 2016 - -SVPride2016 (29432453856).jpg|Booths at Plaza de César Chávez
File:Silicon Valley Pride Parade 2016 - -SVPride2016 (29358226352).jpg|Gay/Lesbian Freedom Band
File:Silicon Valley Pride Parade 2016 - -SVPride2016 (28844875013).jpg|Billy DeFrank Community Center
File:Silicon Valley Pride Parade 2016 - -SVPride2016 (28844885193).jpg|Traditional dancers
File:Silicon Valley Pride Parade 2016 - -SVPride2016 (28842171844).jpg|Pride parade
File:Silicon Valley Pride Parade 2016 - -SVPride2016 (28842247664).jpg|Drag queen
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.svpride.com/ Silicon Valley Pride]
- [http://www.defrankcenter.org DeFrank LGBT Center]
Category:1975 establishments in California
Category:Annual events in Silicon Valley
Category:Pride parades in California
Category:LGBTQ culture in the San Francisco Bay Area
Category:Tourist attractions in San Jose, California
{{LGBT-event-stub}}