A light drizzle didn’t stop people from gathering at Cheese (La Moine) Park on Sunday for the second annual El Sobrante Pride celebration, where drag performances, food trucks, local artisans, and community organizations came together for an afternoon of celebration and solidarity.
The festival opened with a lineup of drag performances, kicked off by local legend Viva Commotion, described by organizers as “the heart and soul of drag in our community.”
Food trucks lined the edge of the park, serving everything from tacos to shaved ice, while music from DJ Paige Hodel kept spirits high. Between performances, attendees explored tables hosted by local merchants and nonprofit organizations.
Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda, the first openly gay man elected to Richmond’s city council, underscored the importance of community visibility.
“Even though you might not always see someone like you, know that we are out here. We are in every community,” Zepeda said, holding a rescue puppy named Tic, who was available for adoption at the event. “Just like the weather today, even when it’s overcast, if you look closely, you’ll see rainbows. That’s how we build community. Step by step, we’re going to build community.”
While the day was festive, Contra Costa County Supervisor Ken Carlson, the county’s first openly LGBTQ supervisor, urged attendees to stay engaged in the fight for equality.
“Pride is a celebration, but it’s also a call to action to get out, to show our love and to bring people into the community with us,” Carlson said. “Our trans population is specifically under attack. This is an opportunity for us to call in, not call out, to bring allies, faith institutions, businesses, and schools together. Let them see what we stand for.”
Rev. Dr. Melinda V. McClain, pastor of Good Table United Church of Christ and the event’s stage manager, reflected on how much progress the community has made.
"I am old enough that I could be called a queer elder, whatever the heck that means,” McClain said. “I can remember, because again, queer elder, when we had to drag, and I mean drag elected officials to come to pride. Now we have so many we can’t even believe it, and some of them are even LGBTQ+.”
The festival included a headline performance by singer Jeannie Tracy, whose rendition of It’s Raining Men had the crowd dancing in front of the stage.
Jeannie Tracy, known for her work with disco legend Sylvester and a successful solo career in dance and soul music, has been a fixture in the Bay Area music scene for decades.
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