Where to Celebrate Pride in San Diego

Though June is generally recognized as Pride Month, San Diego keeps the celebration going all the way through July, with San Diego Pride Week running from July 13 to July 21, culminating in the San Diego Pride Parade on Saturday, July 20, and the two-day San Diego Pride Festival in Balboa Park.

Beyond those marquee events, there are lots of local bars and restaurants offering food and drink specials or hosting events of their own, often with proceeds going to LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Scope out a selection below.

Pride at Gossip Grill

Renowned women’s bar Gossip Grill is putting on Pride versions of some of its popular reoccurring events, from cabaret drag brunch on July 14 to Pride song karaoke on July 16 and Country CowGurl, a queer women's dance party on July 17 with $4 deals on cocktails and mocktails.

Drag Brunch at Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase is bringing back its Sunday drag brunch on July 14, with performances by Amber St. James, Victoria Elvato, and Jazzlene East Coast paired with Southern-tinged brunch drinks and dishes like gator omelets.

Dodo Bird Donuts Goes Rainbow

The Bird Rock daytime cafe is getting into the Pride spirit with a colorful yeasted doughnut topped with tie-dye frosting and rainbow edible glitter. Dodo Bird Donuts is donating $1 from each doughnut sold to San Diego Pride’s Pride Youth Collective.

Pride Beverages at Bivouac

For the fifth year in a row, Bivouac Ciderworks will be pouring its signature sparkly rainbow flights for Pride; the five sippers include Shirley Temple, Orange Creamsicle, Marlin Spike, Key Lime Coconut, and Blackcurrant. Next door at its Adventure Lodge, the urban cidery is featuring a summertime Pride-themed float. Both specials will be available from July 17 to July 21.

Pride Dinners at the Desmond

Paired With Pride is a dinner series running July 17 through July 21 at the Desmond at downtown’s Kimpton Alma. Chef Aldo Negrete will be celebrating Pride with a prix-fixe seasonal menu of dishes paired with a variety of spirits, wine, and cider from queer-owned producers and distillers.

Skate Into Pride

The retro Roller Rink at The Del is doing Pride night on July 18 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Ticketholders are encouraged to wear rainbow colors for the 90-minute skate sessions, which will feature a Pride-themed playlist and specialty cocktails.

Pride Block Party

The Hillcrest Business Association is producing the Pride of Hillcrest Block Party, held at Pride Plaza on University Avenue on July 19. Entertainment will include go-go dancers and a DJ-led dance party while party fuel will be provided by food trucks and a cocktail bar and beer garden,

Brunch at Cellar Hand

With its prime location near the start of the San Diego Pride Parade, Cellar Hand is using the occasion to preview its soon-to-launch weekend brunch menu on July 20 when the restaurant will be serving up local pastries plus mimosas and sangrias from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Fierce & Kind’s Pride Bottles

In honor of Pride Month, San Diego-based Fierce & Kind Spirits released a series of limited-edition bottles of its American vodka, single-barrel cask strength bourbon, and straight bourbon (temporarily renamed gay bourbon) with 25 percent of proceeds going to the San Diego LGBT Community Center.