The first ever Fullerton Pride Ride and Celebration took place on Sunday, June 26, to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month.

The event began with a neighborhood bicycle parade. Attendees gathered at the northeast corner of Raymond and Wilshire, adorned with rainbow pride decorations. The parade left the lot at 11am and proceed west on Wilshire towards the Fullerton Museum center where the parade ended and the celebration began.

Pride Ride participants arrive at the Fullerton Museum Center plaza.

At the Museum Plaza, community members gathered to enjoy the beer garden, food by Monkey Business Cafe, music by DJ Javier, and a live performance by award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist Jennifer Corday.

The Pride event was organized by Fullerton residents including Tim Johnson, Sarah Erdogan Harmon, Donna Ferkovich Bedard and others in collaboration with the Fullerton Museum Center’s Elvia Rubalcava and City Councilmember Ahmad Zahra, Fullerton’s first openly gay elected official, who spoke at the event.

Locals celebrate Pride at the Fullerton Museum Center.

“Today we are standing united in love and united for a brighter future for the young generation out there who will look back at us today and say, ‘They started that,’” Zahra said to the crowd.

Zarah also pointed out that, since 2019, Fullerton has flown the Pride Flag at City Hall during Pride month, which is June.

City Councilmember Ahmad Zahra (left) at the Pride event.

Fullerton has not always been a place of acceptance of LGBTQ people. In 1978, State Senator John Briggs of Fullerton sponsored Proposition 6, which would have allowed public schools to fire teachers for being gay.

It was Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay member of the Board of Supervisors, who led the campaign in California against Prop 6, which ultimately did not pass. Tragically, the same year that Prop 6 failed, Harvey Milk was assassinated.

“There are those out there who want to take away our rights, there is no doubt about that. But we have come a long way, and the dark days of being closeted and being ashamed of who we are are behind us,” Zahra said.

Pride event organizer Donna Ferkovich Bedard with musician Jennifer Corday.