Written by Cheryl Popp | [Article]
Sausalito has a long legacy of welcoming all people and embracing many lifestyles. Writers, artists, and musicians — the beats, the hippies and yes — the LGBTQ+ community.
Building on and celebrating this history of inclusiveness, Sausalito is launching its first-ever Pride Celebration June 9-July 2. As one of the original gay meccas in the Bay Area following WWII, Sausalito, like San Francisco, had some of the first “gayborhoods.” Sausalito, reputedly, had more gay bars per capita at the time than San Francisco did!
In the 1960s and 1970s (pre-HIV), a tag line in the gay community was “Take a ferry to San Francisco and bring a fairy home.” There were occasional drag shows in town at a place called the Sausalito Inn, but no real visible gay activity or special events. Sausalito’s inaugural Pride Celebration is going to change that.
A small but mighty, and diverse team has put together Sausalito’s first-ever Pride Celebration, partnering with The Spahr Center, Marin County’s only LGBTQ+ nonprofit. Charles Melton is Chair of the Sausalito Pride program and is joined by committee members Janelle Kellman, Wayne Kaleck, Juli Vieira, Monica Finnegan, Scott Thornburg, Jeffrey Hannan and Michael Rose. The organizers are looking for volunteers and welcome donations.
The City of Sausalito and the Sausalito Chamber of Commerce have both endorsed the Pride Celebration as have many local merchants who are planning programs to celebrate, showcase and support Sausalito’s LGBTQ+ community, culture and history. “I’m proud of Sausalito’s vibrant and inclusive past, and I’m proud that we’re creating an inclusive community for the future as well,” said Sausalito City Councilor and former Mayor Janelle Kellman.