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Santa Monica Pride 2025
Published on June 17, 2025
Santa Monica Pier, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., and Santa Monica Place, in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, present SaMo Pride: a month focused on events and activities for all ages that celebrate the city’s inclusive and diverse spirit.
Each year, the City of Santa Monica joins other cities around the world in designating June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Pride Month is a month-long celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community. It is a time to reflect on the progress that has been made in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and to recommit to the work that still needs to be done. SaMo Pride focuses on art, events for people of all ages, and community connection, and support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Pride Month is celebrated in June because of the Stonewall riots, which took place in New York City in June 1969. The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. The riots are widely considered to be the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Pride Month is celebrated around the world with parades, festivals, and other events. These events are a way for LGBTQ+ people to come together and celebrate their identity, and to show the world that they are proud to be who they are. Pride Month is also a time to educate the public about LGBTQ+ issues, and to raise awareness of the discrimination that LGBTQ+ people still face.
Pride Month is a time for celebration, but it is also a time for activism. LGBTQ+ people continue to face discrimination in many areas of life, including housing, employment, and healthcare. Pride Month is a time to recommit to the work of fighting for equality for all LGBTQ+ people.
SaMo Pride Events
Pride Month Proclamation
Nicole Blaine, a lifelong Santa Monica resident, opened The Crow, a comedy club, educational center, and community “3rd Space” committed to elevating the Santa Monica and Los Angeles comedy scene by amplifying marginalized voices that use stand-up, storytelling, music, and performance art to better the world. Three years ago Nicole Blaine launched Storyectomy, a free storytelling initiative devoted to sharing different perspectives to create community, foster empathy, and promote acceptance. Past iterations have focused on cancer, the unhoused community, and maternal mental health.
Last year, Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs funded Storectomy’s Family Pride edition which shared stories from our local Queer community. The City of Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs is proud to sponsor a second season of Family Pride, Storyectomy, as part of SaMo Pride on June 21, 2025 at The Crow.
Last year’s storyteller’s, Jeffrey Jay, Lacey Stancel, Viva Rose, Mahtub Zare Mochanloo, Kelsey Anonsen, Eric Berry, Govind Kumar, Tangila Lee, Caramel Velez, and Nicole Blaine are here to present this year’s Pride Proclamation.
PRIDE Sunset Swim plus Happy Hour
Friday, June 20, 2025
Join in on Pride Sunset Swim and Happy Hour for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies! Enjoy a queer, safe, accessible, judgment-free space for every, and all bodies, with fabulous pool floats and s’mores at the historic Beach House pool. Outside food welcome, no glass, no alcohol.
SaMo Pride Festival
Saturday, June 21, 2025
11 AM – 4 PM
A full day of Pride programming across the Promenade, Pier, Santa Monica Place, and Main Street. Enjoy art, entertainment, family-friendly activities, and community resources that highlight the heart of SaMo Pride. Celebrate love, visibility, and inclusion by the beach!
Fabulous Fables
Saturday, June 21, 2025
10 AM – 1 PM
Drag Queen Story Time with Pickle & Lil Miss Hot Mess features a playful reading of “Barnyard Madness with the Three Little Pigs.”
Gather the little ones and head to the heart of the Santa Monica Pier for Fabulous Fables—a FREE, joy-filled celebration created especially for families with kids 10 and under.
Pride at the Pier Beach Volleyball
Saturday, June 21, 2025
11 AM – 5 PM
Pride Point Volleyball hosts open-format play for all skill levels, inviting participants to spike, set, and connect in a welcoming, community-driven event. Join the LGBTQ+ community for a fun and inclusive beach volleyball experience!
About SaMo Pride
To further embrace the city’s core values of equity and inclusion, SaMo PRIDE was established in 2019 as a city-wide partnership between the City of Santa Monica, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Place and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and providing a platform to champion individuality and acceptance. Since its inaugural year, SaMo PRIDE has evolved into a rich community tradition with, events and activities for all ages that encapsulate the city’s inclusive and diverse spirit. SaMo PRIDE continues to strive to increase visibility and understanding of the broad spectrum of gender identities and experiences within the LGBTQ+ community. The City of Santa Monica has received a perfect score on the Human Rights’ Campaign’s 2021 Municipal Equality Index in recognition of the community’s broad commitment to LGBTQ+ equity inclusion, creation of safe spaces, inclusive policies, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ protections.
About Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. is a private non-profit 501(c)(3) that works with the City of Santa Monica to manage services and operations in Downtown Santa Monica that promote economic stability, growth and community life within Downtown Santa Monica. DTSM, Inc. manages the Property-based Business Assessment District (PBAD) that encompasses the area bounded by Ocean Avenue (W), Wilshire Boulevard (N), Lincoln Boulevard (E) and the Santa Monica Freeway (S). For more information, visit downtownsm.com
About Santa Monica Place
Located steps away from the Pacific Ocean and iconic Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Place is a unique, outdoor shopping destination, home to Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Nike, and a collection of specialty shops, digitally native brands and inspired dining concepts. For more information, visit SantaMonicaPlace.com
About the Santa Monica Pier Corporation
The Santa Monica Pier Corporation (SMPC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public benefit corporation dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Santa Monica experience for all visitors. SMPC provides impactful location -specific programming year-round, upholding the Pier as a relevant world-class destination that is free and open to all. Learn more about the Pier Corp.
About The Crow
The Crow, located inside Santa Monica’s historic Bergamot Station Arts Center, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit (Crow Comedy Inc.) theater and educational space for expression, healing, and social progress through the art of comedy and storytelling. They empower people with joy and laughter, ensuring access for those whose stories might otherwise go untold. The Crow provides a stage and safe space for all ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, religions, backgrounds, abilities, and socio-economic classes, and leans into empowering individuals to find their voice and express their point of view through writing and performing.
Feature image courtesy of
