Happy Pride Month! In celebration of this important month of education and uplifting the community, S.Y.V. (Santa Ynez Valley) Pride will be hosting its fourth annual pride celebration throughout Santa Barbara’s beautiful wine country. Events will run June 1-30, and the main event, the annual S.Y.V. Pride Parade and Festival, will be hosted on June 14 in downtown Solvang.
S.Y.V. Pride is a nonprofit organization formed in 2022, dedicated to uplifting the LGBTQ+ community in Santa Ynez through supporting education with shared events, financial aid, and other nonprofits that align with their mission of inclusivity and empowerment. This is their fourth year of family-friendly parties, which include a parade, festival, dining, and disco celebrations in various locations across Santa Barbara County. This year’s chosen pride theme is “Lead with Love,” which encourages attendees and community members to be bold and brave in their sharing of love through action to support LGBTQ+ people.
President Lauren Lastra encourages community members to take a stand for our fellow neighbors, stating, “This year’s Pride theme, ‘Lead with Love,’ is about a bold and brave kind of love that requires action. It will ask us to stand up for all members of our community, especially our trans and immigrant neighbors. It will require that we act with kindness in the face of adversity and that we garner strength and hope through community. It will empower us to create safe spaces throughout the valley where folks can unapologetically be themselves and know that they belong here.”
The celebration began with Pride Brunch at Brave and Maiden Estate and a disco-themed Pride kickoff event at the Future Perfect Wine tasting room in Los Olivos on June 1…