San Joaquin Pride Center hosted the 10th Annual Pride Festival in Stockton on last week.
The Saturday event was organized as a block party in Yosemite Village, right next to the San Joaquin County Pride Center.
The San Joaquin Pride Center and the Stockton Pride Festival have been around since 2011, said Jonathan Lopez, program manager at the Pride Center. The festival used to be held at Weber Point Events Center, before moving it to Yosemite Village this year.
The 10th Annual Stockton Pride Festival in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local) 
Miss Pepper, 10, poses in from of the Stockton Pride sign during the 10th Annual Stockton Pride Festival in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local) 
Randy Carvalho writes noted for the LGBTQ community members who recently passed way during Stockton Pride in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local) 
Stockton Vice Mayor Kimberly Warmsley shows the certificate recognizing the San Joaqiun Pride Center in honor of the 10th Annual Stockton Pride Festival in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
“We are bringing the event back to (Yosemite) Village as a way of introducing the Pride Center to everyone,” Lopez said. “People still ask, ‘Oh my god, you guys have a Pride Center?’ and you know, we’re ten plus years in.”
The Pride Center estimated that the event brought between 1500 to 2000 attendees this year. The event had music, dance and drag performances, with artists such as Loghan Longoria, Bijou Bentley, Unieke Moore, and the Two Hips band, to name a few.
“As someone who was in the closet until I came to Los Angeles, it makes me feel on top of the world, getting to see so many people (at Pride),” Longoria said.
Singer Loghan Longoria performs during Stockton Pride in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local) 
From left, drag performers Bijou Bentley, Elayna Roberts and Unieke Moore during Stockton Pride in Yosemite Village in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local) 
The ‘Two Hip’ band performs during Stockton Pride in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. The band was formed by music students of Delta College and University of the Pacific and debuted at the Pride festival. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local) 
Drag Queen Bijou Bentley performs as Barbie during Stockton Pride in Stockton, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2023. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
The Michigan native moved to Los Angeles at age 19 to pursue his passion for singing.
“I want to create a safe space for you at this festival to just live your best life,” said Longoria. “And pride festivals are the perfect place to do that.”
The festival also had 40 vendors selling local, handmade products and merchandise alongside organizations such as Community Medical Centers, who handed out health-related information and resources.
Inside the Pride Center was Chris Rivera, who poured samples of his Lodi-based wine label ‘Seis Soles’ Wine Co.
“I’ve lived in different places, Florida being one of them back in the day in the 80’s,” said Zenet Negron, senior field representative of Senator Susan Malamutes Eggman. “It’s unfortunate that things aren’t still the way they should be currently. And so, I’m very happy and very proud of our city and more people need to know that our little Stockton knows how to throw a pride party.”
The brick wall in Umbrella Alley of the Village was decorated with photos of beloved LGBTQ community members and allies who passed away in the past year, with messages from the community members honoring them.
AJ Hurford was one such community member who wrote messages for those who passed away. Hurford said it was a personal loss for her as much as it was loss for the community.
“As someone on the plus side of 50, I think it’s really important for the youth to know that there is a place for them,” she said. “Because when you don’t have something like a pride center or an LGBT community to go to, it’s pretty easy to feel like you’re alone, even as an adult.”
Harika Maddala is a photojournalist based in Stockton covering San Joaquin County for Bay City News Foundation and its nonprofit news site Local News Matters. They are a Report for America corps member and a CatchLight Local Fellow.
