Pride by the Beach 2026: Director Roxanne Deatherage on Building Community, Visibility, and Belonging in North County
By Cesar A Reyes
Pride by the Beach has never really been just about a single day. Even back in 2008, when it started as a small National Coming Out Day gathering near the Oceanside Pier, there was something bigger underneath it. A handful of vendors, a modest setup, and a hope that maybe a few people would show up. They did—more than expected. Enough to send a clear message: North County needed this. “That moment proved there was a real need for a space where people could just be,” says Roxanne Deatherage, now Director of Pride by the Beach. “Not perform, not hide—just exist and feel like they belong.”
Nearly two decades later, that same intention still anchors the event, even as it has grown into one of the largest free, family-friendly Pride celebrations in the region. Thousands of people now fill the space each year—families with kids, friend groups, couples, first-timers who aren’t quite sure what to expect, and longtime community members who return because it feels like home. There are hundreds of vendors, multiple stages, music that carries across the grounds, and the steady hum of people moving, laughing, connecting. But Roxanne is quick to point out that the scale isn’t the point. “We’ve grown a lot, but the heart hasn’t changed,” she says. “It’s still about making sure that when someone walks in, they feel like there’s a place for them here.”
That feeling is intentional. Pride by the Beach isn’t a standalone event—it’s a program of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, something that makes it unique among Pride celebrations. The connection means that what people experience during the event is directly tied to real, ongoing support. “Everything at Pride connects back to the work we’re doing year-round,” Roxanne explains. “So it’s not just, ‘come celebrate and we’ll see you next year.’ It’s, ‘come in, see what exists, and know this is here for you every day.’” It shifts the energy. The event becomes less of a one-time party and more of an open door.
On June 6th 2026 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Pride by the Beach leans even further into that sense of connection with its theme, The Fabric of Community. It’s not just a tagline—it’s something attendees will be able to see and touch. Interactive art installations, fabric-based crafts, and traditional basket weaving invite people to contribute in real time, adding their own thread to the larger story of North County. Cultural booths and programming will highlight the diverse communities that make up the region, including Black and Asian voices, reflecting the layered identity of the area itself. “We want people to see themselves in this space,” Roxanne says. “Not just as attendees, but as part of what makes this community what it is.”
Of course, there’s plenty of celebration woven throughout the day. Live entertainment will take over multiple stages, creating a constant rhythm of music and movement. This year’s lineup includes headlining DJ Jocelin who grew up in Oceanside which makes her return feel personal. “She’s from here, and now she’s out there doing amazing things,” Roxanne says. “Bringing that kind of talent back home—it just hits differently.” The crowd-favorite silent disco is also set to return, offering one of those moments where you look around and see hundreds of people dancing together, each in their own world but somehow completely connected.
Still, what sets Pride by the Beach apart are the spaces designed for something quieter and more grounded. The Youth Zone, Advocacy Zone, and Mental Health Zone aren’t tucked away—they’re central to the experience. Inside those spaces, conversations happen, resources are shared, and people find support they may not have known existed. “Those areas are the heart of what we do,” Roxanne says. “They’re where people can actually connect, ask questions, and feel seen in a deeper way.” There’s also a Sensory-Friendly Calm Zone, offering a place to step out of the noise and regroup—something that reflects a broader understanding of what inclusion really looks like.
That balance between celebration and intention is what gives the event its emotional weight. Because for many people, especially in North County, visibility isn’t something they experience every day. “For a lot of folks, this is the first time they’re surrounded by this many people who are just like them,” Roxanne says. “They see people being open and joyful and not apologizing for who they are, and it can be overwhelming in the best way.” It’s often a quiet moment—someone pausing, taking it all in, realizing they’re not alone. “That’s the part that stays with you,” she adds. “That feeling.”
And while the event itself only lasts a day, what it connects people to goes far beyond it. Pride by the Beach acts as a gateway to the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, where support continues year-round—housing assistance, mental health services, youth programs, food distribution, and more. But Roxanne doesn’t lead with a list. She brings it back to something simpler. “People come for the music, the food, the fun,” she says. “But they leave knowing there’s a place they can go back to. Somewhere they can walk into on a random day and be supported.”
That’s what makes Pride by the Beach feel different. It’s not just about showing up—it’s about being part of something. In a region as diverse and spread out as North County, where communities can feel disconnected from one another, the event creates a rare kind of shared space. You’ll see families next to service members, teenagers next to older couples, people from completely different backgrounds all moving through the same space, all claiming it in their own way. “This community is layered,” Roxanne says. “And Pride brings those layers together.”
At the center of it all is a simple word, one that has guided the event since the beginning: the WORD is Community. “Pride is not just something you attend, it’s something you’re part of.” Roxanne explains. Community is not just there for one day, nor just in certain spaces, but fully and without question. Pride by the Beach creates a glimpse of that community, and then it invites people to carry it with them long after the music fades.