OC Pride

The first Orange County Gay Pride Festival, held in Santa Ana in 1989, incited a clash between attendees and anti-LGBT forces. Police ordered organizers of the "Orange County Cultural Pride Festival" to lock the gate to the festival grounds for half an hour after the brawl and considered shutting the event down early, but decided to let it continue as scheduled for the rest of the day. As the event continued, so did the tension between the festival goers and the anti-LGBT crowd. In an effort to calm the crowd, Janet Avery, president of Orange County Cultural Pride took to the stage.

"We came here to celebrate," Avery said, quieting the crowd. "If you have a friend who is not here to celebrate, please get them in the mood. This is our day in the sun." ...

We will build on the efforts of those who came before us so that we can continue to make great strides in our struggle for full equality.