Announcing our 2025 Suisun City Pride
Remembering Cezar Falconitin on his birthday after losing him this year. He would have been 48 year’s old. See this link for more information.
State Senator Chris Cabaldon came and brought greetings of how he is fighting for us as the first openly Queer Senator from the North Bay, and how ours was the largest Pride he’s seen so far this year!
John Harter of Suisun City and the owner of Waterfront Comics there, was the recipient of our 2025 Hetero Hero Award for his support of our community, in person and online!
Glass Cactus, made up of teens from the School of Rock in Vacaville, were the headlining band!
June 1st from noon to 6 pm!
Harbor Plaza, Suisun City
520 Solano St., Suisun City, CA
Want to see the Digital Program for 2025 Suisun Pride?
Thank our sponsors and vendors with your business and personal thanks for supporting 2025 Suisun Pride!
Thanks to all who came to our Kick-off Drag Show at Marina Lounge on Friday, May 30th!
Wednesday, June 18th, 2025
Vacaville Pride in the Park this Sunday afternoon! Drag Brunch and Interfaith Pride Service in Vallejo. Drag Karaoke Thursday night at the Fairfield Library!
Dear friends,
Happy Autistic Pride Day today on June 18th!
This Sunday, June 22nd is Vacaville’s Pride in the Park from noon to 3 pm at Andrews Park, 614 E. Monte Vista Avenue, Vacaville!
Get ready to celebrate love, inclusivity, and vibrant self-expression! Vacaville Pride in the Park is back and bigger than ever, inviting the community to gather for a day filled with joy, unity, and celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride.
Celebrate Pride Month with Drag Karaoke Thur, June 26th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm at the Fairfield Civic Center Library, in the Becker Balmer Meeting Room (1150 Kentucky St., Fairfield). Hosted by drag performer Hennessy Williams, who will also be performing a special drag number during the evening. Celebrate Pride Month by dressing up in your most fabulous drag outfit to belt our your favorite tune during an evening of Drag Karaoke. The reigning Mx. NorCal Quing Pageant winner, Hennessy Williams, will provide both hosting duties and perform a special number for the event. Registration required: Show the community just how amazing you are!
Thanks to those who made it to the Pulse Night Club Vigil tonight at Vallejo Naval & History Museum last Thursday evening.
It was a meaningful ceremony remember the many who have died in violence at our LGBTQIA2S+ 3rd spaces, such as the Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans, the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, the Q Club in Colorado. More info at these articles:
“A Brief History of Attacks at Gay and Lesbian Bars” Link
“The Resilience of Gay Bars” Link
We represented at the Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville and Benicia “No Kings” rallies around the county! Will taught folx how to sign “We are a Gentle, Angry People” by Holly Near, and Jeriann Guzman shared from the Solano Serenity Center. Here’s Will with Joseph Andrew Hayden at the Vallejo Rally.
Solano Comes OUT At The Fairgrounds !!!!
“The Village” at the Solano County Fairgrounds was the site of another group of local and regional performers, including Ling Ling, Starlight Erotica and our own Mizz Grace Jones (shown here) along with Amelia Need Moore, Ryder Knightly, Jacob Solbux, Ana Flaxis, Chai Auntea, Vallejo Trans Rapper Angel Fox, Chance McCauley, Xavier Toscano and Friends, comedians Wonder Dave and Irene Tu, and the amazing Nathan X Moody Band!
There were many local acts, including Vallejo’s newest metal band – Galvanize – headed by our very own Clinical Director Colin Amato! Very talented group doing their debut show!
And, don’t forget that the Louise Lawrence Trans Archive has an installation Museum Pride & Transgender exhibit “Pride of Trans Posters” all Pride Month at the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, 734 Marin Street, Vallejo.
Over 50 historic transgender related posters ranging from entertainment to activism across the decades. Last year’s exhibit was one wall, but this year’s is the whole room!
Wednesday, June 4th, 2025
Dear friends,
Sunday, June 2nd will go down in history as the largest Pride event in Solano County history. With the City of Suisun as Cosponsor, we received the Proclamation there again, and had supportive words from the City Manager and Mayor Alma Hernandez and Mayor Pro Tim Jenalee Dawson! Even State Senator Chris Cabaldon stopped by and shared how he is fighting for us all in Sacramento! Auntie Jeriann Guzman from Solano Serenity Center helped with an opening recognizing our Indigenous siblings.
We had over 80 vendors and exhibitors sharing their tasty food and wares, and as people came and went, the only issue we had was that it took some time for people to find parking and make it down to Harbor Plaza. We estimate that 6,000 people made it there that day! We even heard of folx who came from the City by ferry made it to Pride with us that weekend!
Bella Aldama & Myles Weber kept the program flowing as hosts, and kept the party going! Many thanks to Aaron Sencil and Vince Tanciongco (formerly on the board) and all our volunteers for keeping us organized, and ready to take one of the dressing rooms down when the wind picked up! We posted more pictures at the Pride website!
Tender moments during the day included when the family and friends of Cezar Falconitin remembered him on what should have been his 48th birthday at Sunday’s Pride event.
Gone too soon! Read more about it at this article.
The other tender moment was when John Harter, owner of Waterfront Comics was surprised to receive the Hetero Hero Award this year for his standing up for out community online and in person, making Suisun City the welcoming place it is! Thanks to all our sponsors and vendors with your business and personal thanks for supporting 2025 Suisun Pride! Check out more about our Sponsors and others at the Digital Program for the Day!
Will McGarvey
Wednesday, May 28th, 2025
Dear Friends,
As we prepare for Suisun Pride weekend, I wanted to write a few words for the broader community. Based on some of the sharing at last night’s City Council meeting in Vacaville, there seems to be some misunderstandings about what Pride is all about.
We come together in June because one of the defining events in our history occurred June 28, 1969 – The Stonewall Inn Riot – where Trans women of color fought back against the police brutality they had been experiencing for years. It was a moment where our community found its collective power to fight back, and demand the civil rights being withheld. It was about reclaiming our dignity in a world that only offered us shame. It is still not about making ourselves out to be more than anyone else, but demanding our equality. That’s why it is called Pride.
Many even forget our own local and regional history, such as Vallejo being the “Gay Town” in the Bay Area before the Castro became the “Gay Neighborhood” where Cary Grant and Liberace had homes, there were 5 gay and lesbian bars, and with Mare Island still a going concern then, many more local jobs and LGBTQ service members created community in their own ways.
We also often forget to include the 1966 Compton Cafeteria riots, our own regional historic tradition of resistance. Architect Chandra Laborde said this about the zoning in a request to create the Trans District in the Tenderloin neighborhood. “The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot site is significant to San Francisco’s trans and queer community due to its history of resistance to unjust criminalization and the repression of trans lives.” Victor Silverman and Susan Stryker released a documentary in 2005 that dove into the events named Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria. Following this, in 2017, blocks around the building were named “Compton’s TLGB District,” in commemoration of the incident and became the nation’s first transgender historic district — Compton was subsequently dropped from the name in 2020.
Despite the Trump administration’s desire to take us back to those days with his repressive policies, Pride is proof we are here, we will continue to be Queer, and we won’t go away. If bricks are needed, we know how to fight back, but choose to do so peacefully through our parades, festivals and presence.
Want to learn more about our local history? Check out these articles.
• San Francisco Activists Want to Reclaim the Site of Historic Compton’s Cafeteria Protest
• Ladies In The Streets: Before Stonewall, Transgender Uprising Changed Lives
• Tonight at Compton’s Cafeteria,
• History will be made… a play about it going on now in SF.
Have you seen our latest video for Suisun Pride? Check it out here! Share it with all your besties…
Learn more about Suisun Pride 2025 here! Includes all of the proclamations, flag raisings, and other events around the region, including Solano Comes OUT on Saturday, June 14th from noon to 7 pm at the Solano Fairgrounds!
Did you know that you could make a whole weekend of Suisun Pride this year?
It’s been real hard for us to plan any after parties for Pride in the past, so we are pleased to have a Pre-Pride Drag show on Friday, May 30th from 9 pm to midnight at the Marina Lounge. Come make a weekend out of Pride! Party responsibly.
We have also compiled a list of LGBTQ owned or friendly businesses with some fun ideas for you, your family and friends to participate in throughout the region! From wineries to spa days, good eats and fun for the family! Check out the links on our website or download the pdf here. We have since learned Pizza
You may also wish to take the train to Pride, as it is in walking distance to Harbor Plaza and a couple of hotels!
It is Pride Proclamations season around the county! We appreciate the cities that provide proclamations of June as Pride Month, especially the City of Vallejo this week that was very honoring of our community and all of the LGBTQ+ groups in the city as they remind their citizens that we are worthy of dignity and respect. There will also be flag raising and more events that we are still curating for Pride month!
Here’s the poem Board Chair Brigid Reilly shared that night for those who are asking for it:
Pride poem
We are!
I am me, I am they. I am one with everything. We are all splendidly different. We all deserve love. We are all real. We are here. We’re not going back. We’re creating this now and look how beautiful we all are! look at us supporting each other. Look at us championing each other, teaching and learning from each other, we know how to treat each other. We here right now see it, feel it, we will continue to create it. We will continue to be ourselves. We will continue because we deserve it. We deserve love in all It’s wondrous imaginations! All its colors of the rainbow and all it’s gorgeous Diversity, amazing creativity, and most of all love, respect, honor, dignity, decency, and truth. This is how we create our reality of unconditional love and acceptance and support because we know we ARE LOVE!
Brigid Reilly
It is also Vacaville City Council season! We grieve that Mayor John Carli has continued to hide behind the policy he got passed about city proclamations that discriminates against our community. There was great comments at the meeting you can watch here. Later in the meeting, Vice Mayor Sarah Chapman who tried with other council members to get the Mayor to allow a proclamation, and the city council will be meeting to discuss the policy itself at a future meeting (see the video linked above at 4:52:00 to see that conversation).
We aren’t the one’s being divisive. We are attempting to make Vacaville safe for our community, especially since these conversations increase the violence against us. Thanks to the 4 council members who voted to reconsider the polity, including Sarah Chapman, Greg Ritchie, Michael Silva and Jeanette Wylie.
Media links:
• Mayor Carli will again reject pride proclamation
• Vaca Council to revisit Pride proclamation, policy after heated debate
• Solano Pride Leaders react to controversy
| Dear friends, Our planning for Suisun City Pride on June 1st is coming together, with many dance troupes already confirmed! Let’s meet them! Our mission at Bliss Urban Arts Center (Hip-Hop presentation) is to provide Solano County (and beyond) with high-quality programs to serve our community! We bring people together through dance, theatre, fitness, poetry, music and more. We at BUAC are honored to have such artistic educators on our staff & happy to have you join our network of artists, mentors and students! |
| Kashinoki TAIKO (Japanese Taiko Drummers) teach local classes in Suisun City. Kashinoki Taiko is a Japanese Taiko drumming group that performs in Japan and internationally. They are known for their powerful rhythms, dynamic performances, and unique blend of music, dance, and martial arts movements. Taiko drumming, a traditional Japanese drumming art form is known for its blend of music, movement, and spirit. |
| Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl (Mexican Folk Dancing) Our mission is to empower the community and to educate the general public, providing Mexican culture. Since 1996. Netzahualcoyotl Vidal, known as “Maestro Netza,” born in Nayarit, México. Trained as a professional dancer, and dancing in some of the most prestigious folklorico groups in México.I’m been instructing students of all ages, and performing in theaters and community events throughout the Bay Area. Our mission is to empower the community and to educate the general public by providing a greater understanding and appreciation for Mexican culture and folklore through music, dance, and traditional art forms. |
Dear friends,
Our planning for Suisun City Pride on June 1st is coming together, with over 30+ vendors and 8 food trucks/trailers already signed up!
We are pleased to announce that “The Freeze 32° F”, an indie-pop 90’s and beyond rock band, will be the opening Band at Pride! They also write and record their own original music. Founded by mom Deb Fries (on keys, guitar, and vocals) and son Alex Fries (on drums and vocals), they are joined by seasoned bass player Alex Barrierre from NYC, L.A. raised lead guitarist Omar Cruz, and the very experienced percussionist Milton McGriff. Miss Alleta Nash of Benicia recently joined the band as lead vocalist, adding spicy harmonies and even a few violin licks here and there. Be sure to like and follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages where you can also find our upcoming shows. We’re here to entertain so come out to hear Icy Hot Music for Cool People!
We are pleased to announce that “Glass Cactus”, from School of Rock Vacaville, will be the closing Band at Pride!
Glass Cactus is the School of Rock Vacaville houseband that is made up of kids from ages 12-17 who audition to be in the band every year. Performing for many community events and going on tour every summer! You might remember them as the closing act of Pride in the Park last year in Vacaville!
Proclamations!
• Vacaville will have a Proclamation for us after all! Many thanks to Vice Mayor Sarah Chapman, and Councilmembers Jeanette Wylie, Greg Ritchie, and Michael Silva.
• Sun, June 22nd the City of Dixon & Vacaville City’s Proclamations will both be shared at the beginning of the Vacaville Pride in the Park event, hosted by the Vacaville People’s Forum at Andrew’s Park.
Pride Events in the region!
• All Pride Month long presentation at the Vallejo Naval Museum* (734 Marin Street, Vallejo). Museum Pride & Transgender exhibit “Pride of Trans Posters”
• Wed, June 4th at 2:00 pm – Pride Flag Raising at City of Benicia (250 East L Street Benicia)
• Thur, June 5th at 10 am – Pride Flag Raising at Solano County Building* (675 Texas St, Fairfield) New Date and time!
More Pride Events!*
• Sun, June 1st from noon to 6 pm. – Suisun City Pride @ Harbor Plaza (520 Solano Street, Suisun City) https://www.solanopride.org/suisun-pride-2025/
• Thur, June 5th from 7:30 to 10 pm Line Dancing supporting SPC and Davis Phoenix Pride! At Ruhstaller Farm, 6686 Sievers Rd. Dixon!
• June 6th @7 pm – Pride Film – Sally! A film about Sally Miller Gearhart (1931-1921) was a Lesbian professor and science fiction writer. (Integrity, 717 Marin Street, Vallejo)
• June 7 @ 7 pm – Pride Night at the Museum* Dance & Museum Fundraiser – (734 Marin St., Vallejo). Cancelled due to illness.
• June 8th @12 pm – VGN Pride Picnic – (Alden Park, Mare Island) FB Link. If you are able to help with setup for the 2025 Solano County Pride Picnic by Vallejo Gay Network Sunday morning, Please DM Tom Bilbo.
• June 10th @ 6:30 pm – Aging in Pride with SPC & Carquinez Village – (Benicia Library, 150 East L Street) FB Link
• Postponed until September
– Gen Silent and Cultural Competency Training for those serve LGBTQ+ Seniors (Joseph A Nelson Community Center, 611 Village Dr, Suisun City) register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gen-silent-a-documentary-film-community-panel-discussion-tickets-1384448014279?lang=en-us&=&%3Blocale=en_US&%3Bview=listing&%3Bstatus=30
• June 11th @5:30 pm – LGBTQ Pride Book Club – Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl at (Alibi Book Shop, 324 Marin St., Vallejo)
• Thur, June 12th at 6-9 pm – Pulse Night Club Vigil at Vallejo Naval & History Museum (734 Marin St. Vallejo) Link
• June 13th @ 5 pm – Downtown Vallejo Artwalk Pride Take Over! Come out with your pride gear on and let’s show up!
• Sat, June 14th at 12 pm – 7 pm – “Solano Comes OUT” @ Solano County Fairgrounds (900 Fairgrounds Dr., Vallejo) exhibitors can email will@Solanopride.org for more info. Want to learn more about the performers? Go here:
https://www.solanopride.org/solano-comes-out/
A day of unity, joy, and celebration at the Fairground’s Village Stage including these amazing performers, with DJ Carlos Penavar keeping the beat going!!!!
- Welcome from Host Amelia Need Moore!
- Galvanize – Vallejo’s newest metal band
- Ryder Knightly Drag King
- Wonder Dave – Comedian from SF
- Solbux Drag Queen
- Chance McCauley – Vallejo Musician
- Ana Flaxis Drag Queen
- Xavier Toscano – Vallejo Singer/Dancer
- Welcome from Host Angel Fox – Vallejo Trans Rapper
- Chai Angea Drag Queen
- Irene Tu – Comedian from LA & SF
- Ling Ling Drag Queen
- Nathan X Moody Band 1st set – 7 piece band from SF
- Startlight Erotica Drag Queen
- Nathan X Moody Band 2nd set
- Finale with KOKKO CHANEL RO-YAL as Mizz Grace Jones!
Of course, DJ Carlos will keep the party going in between these great regional acts! Don’t miss it! This serves in many ways as Vallejo Pride, so we hope to see you there! See the Facebook event here!
There is still room for LGBTQ+ friendly exhibitors and vendors! This link will work until June 8th! There are also slots for food and drink vendors with the same deadline!
• Sun, June 15th at 10:00 am, Will McGarvey will be tabling and sharing a brief Pride greeting on behalf of Solano Pride Center at the Unity of the Valley Spiritual Center, 350 N Orchard Ave, Vacaville.
• June 15th @ 1 -6 pm – Sunday Funday Pride Dance and Party at the Rellik Tavern, (726 First Street, Benicia) hosted by Benicia LBTQIA Network. FB Link
• Sun, June 22nd at 10:00 am, Will will be sharing the Homily (brief Pride message) during the Pride Mass at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 300 West St, Vacaville
• Sun, June 22nd from 10 am to 1 pm at Drag Brunch at Bambino’s Italian Restaurant (301 Georgia Street #suite 122, Vallejo). Get ready to dazzle and delight at Bambino’s, where Vallejo’s Drag Brunch is making its fabulous debut! Join us for a sparkling celebration hosted by the incredible Sadie C. Sparkles and MissCherrylane. It’s a chance to embrace the vibrant spirit of the LGBTQ+ community and enjoy a brunch experience like no other. Come on down and be part of this exciting new event that brings drag and queer culture to our community! Get your tickets now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vallejos-drag-brunch-bambinos-tickets-1405289602029?aff=oddtdtcreator.
• Sun, June 22nd from noon to 3 pm – Pride in the Park by Vacaville People’s Forum at Andrew’s Park, (614 E. Monte Vista Ave, Vacaville) FB Link
• Sun, June 22nd at 4 pm – Interfaith Pride Service at Community Presbyterian Church Vallejo (2800 Georgia St, Vallejo)
• June 23rd at 6:30 pm, How To Be An Ally (Benicia Library, 150 East L Street) FB Link
This Pride Month, we invite you to bring the questions you’ve always wanted to ask of the LGBTQIA2S+ community in a respectful, open environment. Whether you’re new to allyship or looking to deepen your understanding, this interactive Q&A session with a representative from Solano Pride Center offers a chance to learn, connect, and grow.
All are welcome. Come with curiosity, leave with knowledge. Link
• Thur, June 26th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm Celebrate Pride Month with Drag Karaoke at the Fairfield Civic Center Library, in the Becker Balmer Meeting Room (1150 Kentucky St., Fairfield). Hosted by drag performer Hennessy Williams, who will also be performing a special drag number during the evening. Celebrate Pride Month by dressing up in your most fabulous drag outfit to belt our your favorite tune during an evening of Drag Karaoke. The reigning Mx. NorCal Quing Pageant winner, Hennessy Williams, will provide both hosting duties and perform a special number for the event. Registration required: Show the community just how amazing you are!
• Sun, June 29th at 10:00 am, Will McGarvey will be sharing the Sermon for Pride Sunday at Community Congregational Church UCC in Benicia, at 1305 W. Second Street, Benicia
• Sunday, July 6th from 1-6 pm – Pride Month AfterGlow* – Benicia LGTBQIA Post Pride Month Party (+Christina’s Birthday) at Baxter’s Restaurant, 280 First Street, Benicia. FB Link
*Some events subject to updating or change.
Solano Pride Center will be tabling at Concord Pride and Davis Pride this Saturday to be able to find others from Solano County that haven’t been able to take advantage of our services. Feel free to stop by our booths and say “Hey!” and encourage any friends to get connected to our programming!
