The Pride Director’s primary function includes coordination of planning, implementation and management of all details related to the annual Sacramento Pride Celebration with the assistance of the Pride Committee, and between 2 and 300 center volunteers.

This is an open and competitive process. Proposals will not be accepted after Friday, December 30, 2011 at 5pm PST.

Submit proposals to: The Center, Attn: Pride RFP Committee, 1927 L Street,Sacramento,

CA 95811, or by email to requestforproposals@sacramentopride.org.

The Pride RFP Committee and Executive Director will review proposals and make selections no later than January 10, 2011.   The Center Board of Directors will approve a contract(s) at its January 19, 2011 Board meeting.

Request of Proposals

Transit and Bicycles

Pride is easy to get to without a car!

• Light Rail:  Let our Pride sponsor Regional Transit drop you off right at our front door — the Capitol Mall stops are right here!
• Amtrak:  The Sacramento Amtrak station is only a few blocks from the festival.  Exit the station on 5th Street and walk south three blocks to our entrance gate.
• Bicycle:  We will have a free bike corral area near the 7th Street entrance.  Bring your own lock.

Driving Directions

Get Directions from Google Maps

From the Roseville/Auburn areas (80 corridor)

• Take I-80 west.  At the split (just past Madison), stay in the left lanes and continue in the San Francisco direction.
• Right after the Truxel exit, take I-5 south (towards Los Angeles) and you will come into downtown.
• Exit on J Street, and stay in your right lane on the exit.
• You will turn right on 3rd Street – you will see the Holiday Inn on your left.  Stay in your left lane.
• Look for our friendly folks jumping around to direct you into the garages at 3rd & N and 4th & N.

From the Bay Area, Fairfield, Davis areas

• Take I-80 east (towards Reno).  But once you’re in West Sacramento, keep moving ahead onto Highway 50.  Don’t take the exit to Reno – keep heading towards downtown Sacramento.
• Take I-5 north (towards Redding).
• Exit on J Street, and stay in your right lane on the exit.
• You will turn right on 3rd Street – you will see the Holiday Inn on your left.  Stay in your left lane.
• Look for our friendly folks jumping around to direct you into the garages at 3rd & N and 4th & N.

From Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and the Highway 50 folks

• Take Highway 50 east towards downtown Sacramento.
• Exit at 10th Street, follow the signs to turn right on 10th.
• Take 10th Street north, past the Capitol building, until you hit L Street.  Hint:  be in your left lane as you’re passing the State Capitol.
• Turn left on L Street.
• Turn left on 7th Street, and look for our friendly folks jumping around to direct you to the garage at 7th & L.

Parking

Official Pride Parking is offered in two garages:

• 400 Capitol Mall (Wells Fargo Tower) — enter from N Street, turning left on 4th.
• 555 Capitol Mall (U.S. Bank Tower) – enter on 6th Street  just south of L and make your first right hand turn.

Each of these garages is offering a flat fee of $10 for the entire day, with a portion of the fee coming back to Pride.  Parking is also available in other garages and on the streets.  Please remember that on-street parking is enforced on Saturdays – so feed that meter and pay attention to the time limits!  Don’t come back to a nasty parking ticket.

More things to know

• Come early to catch the parade. Parade starts at 11:00am – get there by 10:30am.
• Please leave your pets at home.  Large crowds and hot streets aren’t great places for even the best behaved dog in the world.  Pride is really more of a people event.
• Please avoid bringing large coolers into Pride.  We have lots of food and beverage – at reasonable prices.  Coolers are a problem in large crowds.
• Make a weekend adventure!  Many Sacramento Hotels are offering special rates and packages for Pride 2012!

COMING SOON!

Last year’s Pride was an amazing success.  It took a lot of planning, organizing and hard work, but it all paid off.  Volunteers played a vital role in making it happen.  It’s a cliche, but so true……….. WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!!

Working with the volunteers last year, was the highlight of 2010 for me.  The excitement, energy, can-do and what-doyou-need attitudes still makes me smile.  I am so excited and honored to be back working amongst this fantastic group of people.

A new database has been bought to help volunteers sign up and get their schedules. There will be newsletters and schedule reminders.  You will be able to look online and see what you have been scheduled for.  It should make life logistically easier.

Are you ready to come and play (volunteer) with us?  I sure do hope so.  Just go to http://www.sacramentopride.org/volunteer to sign up.  Shortly after filling out the application, you will receive instructions as to where to sign up for Orientation.  I am also looking for team leaders and co-team leaders for Pride.  If you are interested, please send an email to margo.beatty@saccenter.org with “Team Lead” in the Subject line.

Sign up now.  Orientations have already started!

Questions?  Please call the Volunteer Information Hotline at 916-243-0781.

I can’t wait to work with you!

• Wednesday, February 16, 2011
• Wednesday, March 16, 2011
• Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Meetings will begin at 6:30 pm at the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, 1927 L Street, Sacramento.  These meetings will discuss plans for Pride and to invite your thoughts and ideas.  We look forward to seeing you.

Meetings will be on the third Wednesdays of February, March, April, and May to let the gay and lesbian community know about this year’s parade and other exciting events, to solicit feedback and generate interest in the most important fund-raising event of the year for the non-profit center.

The meetings will be held at the SG&L Center, 1927 L Street, Sacramento, from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m. on February 16, March 16, April 20, and May 18th.

For 26 years, Sacramento Pride has been the main fund-raising source for local gay services such as the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center’s legal clinic, Lavender Angels, Q-Deaf, homelessness and Speaker’s Bureau as well as peer programs for families, youth, 20-somethings, transgender, people with HIV/AIDS, men, women and bisexuals.

The Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community of the greater Sacramento region by providing space, diverse programming, advocacy and awareness in an affirmative and safe environment.

For more information, contact the Center at (916) 442-0185 or pride@sacramentopride.org.

The system, developed by For Your Event, is used by other Pride organizations including San Francisco, Phoenix, Houston, and Atlanta. 

Exhibitor Information…
Parade Information…

A fully-automated online registration system will be on-line shortly.  In the meantime feel free to use the paper applications.  

Learn more… 

Why should I be in the Pride parade?

The Pride parade is one of the easiest, lowest-cost, and most highly impactful ways you can reach the LGBT community of Sacramento and Northern California.  Thousands and thousands of people will line the parade route who are eager to be entertained and to feel proud of themselves, who they are, and where they have been.

Because of its long history, Pride parades have a special meaning in the hearts of many in the LGBT community.  Your participation in the parade will benefit you in many ways:

• You are bringing your message to a highly receptive audience… and one of the most brand loyal and economically powerful demographic groups.  LGBT people want your support, and they will reward your support.
• It is an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to your own LGBT staff or organization members by standing with them on this special day.
• It can be a great team building exercise to build a float or put together a special parade entry.
• It’s a tremendous amount of fun to be in a parade and wave at cheering crowds
• There is very low cost to participate.

Why do I want to appeal to LGBT audiences?

LGBT people and their friends, families, and supporters are a wonderful customers, members, or contributors to your organization.  Read more about LGBT Marketing and Advertising from the Human Rights Campaign site.

Do I have to be gay to participate?  Does being in the parade imply that I am gay myself?

Pride is an opportunity to show your support and enthusiasm for the LGBT community.  There is certainly no requirement or implication that everybody in the parade is LGBT themselves.  The only requirement is to have a good time and enjoy the diversity in our community.

What other companies/groups are in the parade?

Previous year parade participants have included a wide range of companies and organizations, including:

• Wells Fargo Bank
• Safeway
• Jackson Rancheria
• Sacramento Police Department
• Sacramento Fire Department
• Regional Transit
• UC Davis “Band-Uh!” Marching Band
• California Faith for Equality
• Chipotle
• CARES
• PG&E
• SMUD
• and countless others

What if I have more questions?

Since the parade team is volunteer-driven, the best way to reach out would be to email parade@sacramentopride.org with your questions.

We look forward to working with you!