Be proud this weekend—Pride Month wraps up with a slew of events for all.

Ready to party? Agata Popęda here, with a whole list of events organized by Monterey Peninsula Pride for this weekend, kicking off with a 21-and-older dance party at 7pm (dance starts at 9pm) tonight, June 27 at Other Brother Beer Co. in Seaside.

There is an 11am Pride parade tomorrow, June 28, starting at the rainbow crosswalk on Alvarado Street in Monterey, followed by family-friendly festivities until 3pm at the Custom House Plaza, where—among other attractions—Monterey Pride will be selling merch for the first time. The after-party will take place 6pm Saturday, June 28, at Pearl Hour in Monterey. Then, a couple of mellow activities are planned for Sunday: a 9:30am nourishing sound bath and mindful family movement event at 11am. The Sunday events are taking place at Elektren in Seaside. A full description of all the events can be found here.

“Last year we had between 3,000 and 4,000 people attending,” says Nick Zafiratos of Monterey Peninsula Pride. “And not only locals but people who come from all over the region just for the event.”

This year, the organization maxed out on the number of parade marchers and resource tables quickly. They increased their sponsorship support from local organizations and businesses. 

“We've also recently started giving out to our local business and organization partners a window decal of our ‘Be Queer Here’ logo,” Zafiratos says. “So as you're walking around downtown Carmel, downtown Seaside, downtown Monterey or Pacific Grove, I'd encourage you to keep your eyes out for our ‘Be Queer Here’ logo on local businesses.”

“That is a very visible sign that it is OK to be queer right here, not just in Monterey, but in this specific facility, this specific business,” he adds. “And so that's a really important and newer initiative of ours.” 

The list of events this year is impressive so people—who identify as LGBTQ+ or not—can party all weekend long. That is, if they have the strength to do it all. 

Zafiratos and his crew—all volunteers—will be everywhere, at the door before the events and at resource tables on Saturday. “Yes, I will be at the [Saturday] after-party, too,” he says. “I don’t know for how long because by that time I will be exhausted.” 

Get exhausted, be proud.