Finally I was able to participate in the Silicon Valley Pride parade as the company I work for was a sponsor, as well as I wanted to support one of my best friends who is a transgender woman. Yes, it was pretty short parade, yes, there were not as many groups as I was expecting and I guess due to covid many people are still scared of going out there in massive events. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about various organization that are not only for the LGBTQ communities but also others like abused women and children, people with no access to medical insurance, Native Americans, etc. The list of events was pretty packed and solid and the post-parade music, dances, and booths are great. I attended with one of my best friends from work who wanted to give some virtual support to her lesbian best friend in India (remember it is not easy to be gay or lesbian or different in some other parts of the world in case you still think why these events are needed). We also were super lucky in all these booths, as my friend won a $25 gift card for a grocery store and in the next booth she won a $300 cellulite massage (gosh, I got a pen, but hey, it was a rainbow colored pen, that was rad too!). Overall it was fun, friendly, loving atmosphere with the touch of tackyness (how many rainbow masks one can have...many for me!). read more

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Gets better every year. Marching with St Stevens in the Field's Rainbow Garden group is a blast! Take it from me, someone who hangs around churches and gardens. ~The Rainbow Gaden read more

I was so excited to attend this 2-day celebration at Silicon Valley Pride in downtown San Jose during my recent Bay Area trip. I've heard San Jose's LGBTQ Pride moved from June to August in 2013 and changed name from San Jose Pride to Silicon Valley Pride in 2014. I actually attended a festival in the late 90's at Guadalupe Park where it shared same ground with Children's Discovery Museum. Being originally from this area, I'm familiar with Plaza de César Chávez right in front of Fairmont Hotel. City blocked off the southbound lanes of South Market Street for extended festival space. The entrance is located at East San Carlos, which was the opposite of parade ending. Speaking of parade, it was the shortest gay pride parade I've ever seen. There was just a half mile from Julian Street to Sam Fernando Street. But this 2-hour short parade actually filled with full pride parade experience. My friend suggested to watch from the street corner across from St James Park. That was the best viewing area because paraders were just warming up before media viewing area. There were lots of well-known technology companies and local agencies in the parade. (Huh? I didn't see Apple.) The parade was so exciting. My friend even wanted to march in the parade next year. Yeah. The entry fee was lowest I've seen. My only complaint was the parade shifted to the shade under the trees after 11 am when the sun began to beat down on us. It became hard to see them in the shadow. I just hated that I didn't bring a good camera to capture the actions. After parade ended, we headed to eat at San Pedro Market Square Bar for lunch before walking to the festival ground few blocks away. I have no problem paying $5 admission fee. In fact, I would give them more after seeing what's inside. The park was divided to several zones: High Tech Pavilion, Hey Girl Stage, Family Garden, Main Stage, Cocktail Lounge and community booths area. I saw Leather Land on the map but I was too tired to find it. I have much more to share but I don't want this review to be so lengthy. You can read the captions from my photos and videos for the parade contingents and festival entertainers. This is part of my review collection on all LGBTQ Pride Celebrations I attended - https://www.yelp.com/collection/BV6bdA5zcJgq-7GtL_a93w (This link only works on desktop version. Tell it to Yelp fix the link issue soon.) read more

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There was a very happy atmosphere at this parade. It was a fairly long parade with tons of rainbow and otherwise colorful costumes. Vendors sold rainbow stuff at somewhat regular intervals. There aren't any true floats here, but various vehicles covered in colorful decor --the flamingo attached to trucks were cute and appropriately showy. Being an election year, many candidates were here --Cindy Chavez, Matt Mahan as well as mayor Sam Liccardo, Dave Cortese, Otto Lee, Ash Kahlra and many more, as well as organizations like Yahoo!, IBM, San Jose Public Library, UPS just to name a few. The San Jose State Spartan marching band was in it, as well as the Spartan mascot, also on hand were the Sharks and Sharky. The festival after the parade cost $5 to get in, which probably wouldn't have been bad but I had somewhere else to go and it was hot outside. I heard San Francisco had a free one. read more

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My girlfriend & I came here 2 years ago, we were stoked ..!! I wish this year when COVID is over they can do it again.

Yes, the admission fee does seem odd at first since San Francisco's Pride events are all free and donation based, but it costs money to put these events together and (yeah, I'll say it) the rest of the Bay is just not as Gay! Having the largest gay population per capita brings in tons of sponsors and gay tourism. San Jose doesn't have that, but they still want to show their Pride! I went to my first San Jose Pride with the mistake of comparing it to my city's Pride. Being from San Francisco, it was disappointing. I felt it was more like a county fair than a Pride. That was my mistake, comparing and judging. Every city has a different Pride and I should have went with an open mind. This is Pride! Look for an update when I do go to San Jose Pride with an open mind. Fun is what you make of it. Pride is what you make of it. read more

I have been to lots of Prides in lots of places - and to each their own. San Jose Pride is small in comparison to large market cities (Chicago, SF, etc.). It's basically all in one big park, and there are your typical snacks, beer, vendor booths and a mainstage. We had a ton of fun checking out the vendors (different ones from SF, which was refreshing). Favorites? Hella cheap cute scarves at the Indian textiles place, water beads (HELLO gifts for my bridesmaids!), fancy soaps that weren't crazy overpriced, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and so so so so so so so much free stuff. We came away with at least 3 free T-shirts. Barefoot tent - you are truly everywhere with that Twister mat. Cheer SF did a performance, which was cooler than seeing them in the SF parade, and they also had some bungee jumping / rock climbing area that looked cool. If you are in the South Bay, it's worth taking a trip. And if you want to b@^*$^ about the $15 door fee, go on family day when it's free. read more

I will admit the only reason I went to the San Jose Pride Parade after party was due to the fog we have had in San Francisco. The fog has been so thick and the weekend before this event was freezing. What to do...hmmm when there is a fork in the road...one to East Bay and the other to South Bay what do you do? I made a bad decision. This was so lame of an event. The party was held in some park, which was fine but we had to pay $15 to get into the gated area where we spent even more money on a bud light (no vodka people) and other typical crap for Sale. e. I mean common how many more rainbow shit can one gay own? (OK so that is my personal opinion on rainbow stuff, I get the concept.) The organizers couldn't even get the layout right. The main stage was right near the dance area which by the way was in the dirt. Yes folks a sunny day out side with a $5 bud light, buzzing, flip flops, shorts and your feet are fucking filthy because you are dancing in a bunch of dirt like a pig in a pen. Common organizers these people paid $15 to come in for a fun day and walk away with nasty toes and dust covered legs. (Maybe they should have had a pedicure booth at the exit gate.) Oh you have so much respect for these people. I will help to spread the word what a waste of time it is attending this event in the park. Maybe it was an off year but according to one other who has attended this event the entrance fee was the same and the layout of the entertainment stages were the same. Event planning 101 was not attended by the Pride Committee of San Jose! read more

I'm from San Jo so I already am biased. SJ never gets love. We're always the forgotten south bay of the Bay, the not-cool-enuf lesbians and the seem-to-be- never-land compared the the East Bay and SF. No offense taken. I'll play the comparison game. I've been to NY, SF and SJ pride only. I must say I had the best time in NY, 2nd best in SJ and the worse in SF. SJ is more real (for me) - family oriented, a better mix of people of color, working class people (but def still needs to improve in this area) and a fairly ok mix of LGBT community (still needs to improve in this area too). Because SJ is the capital of Silicon Valley, it is more conservative, less creative compared to the rest of the Bay, BUT considering all the corporate sponsors are up in the other bigger cities, SJ planning committee works with what they can and that I can appreciate. Thank you! Funny thing is... I felt more proud celebrating in NYC and in SJ than I've ever felt in SF. I feel the pride is felt and seen more in SJ than in SF where naked men and sex fests are happening in public. What happend to our pride? Wish I experienced Pride during the Stonewall era. I can only read about it, but to keep it true to Pride's roots, I stay away from superficial San Francisco. read more

It's hard to know what to say when it comes to San Jose Pride, but really as it comes... when you roll over the two stars it says "I've experienced better." And really that's what it comes down to. For something that is supposed to unite the community, I don't know if they get the word out as well as they should. But beyond that, when you have San Francisco closing down streets and doing things like that - I'm sure that you could have added some more stuff to make the event huge. The pool party event to kick off '08, I think was a good idea. The place I think that was glorified the most for it was Hunter's, that explains ridiculous lines on Pink Party and all of that. I don't know if I will ever get encouraged to go and experience San Jose Pride, because it's like bad foreplay before the orgasm of San Francisco Pride. But you know what, maybe there will come a time. Step it up San Jose, I'm rooting for you. read more

I think SJ Pride has SO much potential! Maybe if there was more advertising for the event?? Marketing? For the price to get in...for a pretty not so busy event... Idk.. I live in SJ and I would love to say that SJ pride is great! For me, after being to SF pride (free) and even Oakland pride, SJ is just not quite there yet =( Maybe it'll get better over the years! I have had some good food there! Some kinda ok vendors to!..I'm sorry SJ pride!! =( read more

So disappointed San Jose Pride Parade and celebration is not during Gay Pride month anymore. It was nice to have Santa Cruz Pride kick off the month in the first weekend of June, ending with the biggest bash in the country in San francisco on Stonewall Day and San jose in between to keep the momentum alive. Also, in such a wealthy community, it shouldn't be necessary to charge admission to the after parade festivities. Santa Cruz is free and San Francisco is free. read more