JUNE 17 – JUNE 30, 2025
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Inclusivity, diversity celebrated at SYV Pride Parade & Festival Parade participants and viewers take to heart this year’s event theme ‘Lead With Love’
INSIDE
By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com
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lmost halfway through Pride Month, which June is designated as for the LBGTQIA+ community, Solvang was again the site for the fourth annual SYV Pride Parade on Saturday, June 14. The parade was again put on by SYV Pride with the 2025 theme “Lead With Love.” The local organization describes itself as “the first registered 501(c)3 nonprofit in the Santa Ynez Valley dedicated to supporting and celebrating the local LGBTQIA+ community.” The parade led off by highlighting the “rainbow” theme with vehicle carrying local dignitaries — like Buellton Mayor David Silva and Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann, among others — all a different color. After them a few more colorful vehicles and floats followed the parade path down Alisal Road, through Copenhagen Drive (where most of the parade viewers were situated), then to 2nd Street and Oak Street back to Alisal.
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Alyce Barrick, co-owner of Queen Cup Coffee in Santa Ynez and vice president of the SYV Pride Board, is pleased to see how the event has lasted and evolved. “It just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” she said after the parade. “Just today, going down Alisal I was worried the turnout might drop off from last year, but then we turned onto Copenhagen and the sidewalks were packed with peo-
ple; it was a great thing to see.” Lauren Lastra, SYV Pride Board present and founding member, said as the parade, Pride Festival, and other events this month continue to affirm themselves as local June staples, more support will be easier to come by. “Mainly, this organization and event is all volunteer; we rely on the volunteers’ work and donations from the area,” she said. “For this
year, we were able to get a private grant to help us out, and continue to get more established, we hope we can get even more private donations.” As Barrick noted, most of the parade viewers were concentrated on Copenhagen Drive. Among them was the Morgan family — Andrew and Micaela and their children Xabelle and Lorenzo. The CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Community . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 • Solvang Summer Music in the Park Series kicks off this week Community . . . . . . . . Pg. 10 • Jazz music filled the air at the Los Olivos Jazz and Olive Festival Arts & Nonprofits . . . . . Pg. 12 • Solvang Theaterfest proudly welcomes back PCPA for another outstanding season Events . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 16 • Government meetings and events