‘We’re not going anywhere.’ Hundreds of marchers celebrate Sacramento Pride
Across the street from where hundreds of people were preparing to march in Sunday’s parade, a Pride flag hung outside the Parkview Presbyterian Church.
Music blared from speakers around Southside Park, the march staging area, and excited chatter could be heard from all directions.
Sacramento’s 2025 Pride March and Parade, inspired by the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, featured motorists, bands, marchers waving rainbow Pride flags and floats — all led by four grand marshals. Picnic blankets and folding chairs lined sidewalks along the parade route — from the park to Capitol Mall — with the crowd growing denser closer to the mall area.
Among the marchers was Gustavo Trejo, who showed a young girl how to flip open a purple, handheld fan before the parade began. He was walking with a group called Leather Pride Sacramento.
“This is to show that we are here,” Trejo said. “And we’re not going anywhere.”
Stefan Murphy celebrated more than pride on Sunday — it was the fifth year he set up a mimosa stand along the parade route and handed out drinks in honor of his birthday. Turning 57 this year, Murphy said community is what keeps him coming out to the Pride March every year.
“I love the support that I feel in this community for everyone,” he said before a marcher interjected to wish him a happy birthday.
He mostly hands out drinks to friends, but Murphy said he was happy to give them to anyone who came up and gave him a hug.
Giuseppe Sanfilippo marched with employees from the California Natural Resource Agency and was joined by his niece, who is visiting from Italy.
He said he was grateful to have family support and be surrounded by his community. Sanfilippo’s husband was also in attendance and walking with a group of Kaiser employees. They held a large rainbow balloon arch while others focused on their dogs that wore T-shirts with rainbow hearts.
Dogs weren’t the only animals marching in the parade, though. Walter Valle brought his goose named Gilbert Ryan Gosling.
He said he came out to show support for one of his sons, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The goose wore a harness and leash with a small purple bow tie on the front.
By noon, marchers who had completed the route posed for pictures on the west steps of the Capitol. Less than 24 hours prior, the area had held more than 5,000 people for the “No Kings” protest.
In the same spot where protesters stood a day earlier, Inderkum High School cheerleaders held pink pom poms and performed for onlookers.
The celebration continued on Capitol Mall where booths abounded and stages were set up for performances that were to go on into the early evening.
This story was originally published June 15, 2025 at 2:56 PM.
