Mendocino Pride returns with joy, inclusivity, music, food and fun in Hopland

By |
More

Mendocino Pride attendees Gabby, Alyssa, Raianne and Loy (L-R) in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)

HOPLAND CA., 5/25/23 – This past weekend, hundreds of LGBTQI+ folks and their allies flocked to Hopland for a day filled with community and fun. Hopland’s close knit community of LGBTQI+ residents rallied together to throw a joyous party with the theme of “love, inclusivity and equality.” 

The event took place at Hopland Tap, the bar and restaurant that serves as the social hub of Hopland. Proceeds benefited the Ford Street Project’s food bank. In addition to Hopland Tap, sponsors included Hopland Vision, Wicked Slush, River Oak Charter School, United Ukiah Methodist Church, Willits Charter School, Bibi’s Creations, KZYX, Vino Vendetta, Terra Sávia, RCS Arbor Youth Resource, Garnica’s Fresh Drinks and more.

Scroll through the photos below to see festive and fun photos from the day. 

Advertisements

Plastic LGBT pride flags hanging on an iron fence
Pride flags line the fence at Hopland Tap at Mendocino Pride on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
A man stands behind a table decorated with LGBT pride rainbow colors.
Christopher Kren-Mora, president of Sonoma County Pride, at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. With Sonoma County just south of the county line, Kren-Mora was invited to promote the large pride event that will take place in Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park June 1-3, 2023. In fact, many of the day’s attendees were Sonoma County residents. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Members of the community group Hopland Vision, a new community group that has formed to help improve the health, wellness and lifestyles of Hopland residents, serve plates of barbecue to Mendocino Pride attendees in Hopland on May 20, 2023. On the menu were ribs, barbecue chicken, baked beans and coleslaw. The barbecue was donated by Hopland Tap with proceeds from each purchase benefiting the Ford Street Project. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Brian Yepez of Hopland Vision and the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians serves up barbecue at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
A woman stands behind a table with tie-dyed t-shirts on it. The woman wears a black t-shirt reading "pride" repeatedly in rainbow colors, a hat with rainbow colors and glasses. She's smiling.
Tie-dye artist Veronica Ceratto selling tie-dye apparel at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. Ceratto is a participant at ABC Day Programs, a nonprofit that provides support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they may gain independence. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Jeffrey Wayne, Mr. Gay Days 2022, speaking at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. During his speech, Wayne stressed the importance of Pride events in the LGBTQI+ community, and shot back at critics calling for banning of public Pride and drag events, stating to gather publicly is “a right that will not be taken away from us.” Gay Days is one of the largest LGBTQI+ gatherings in the world, taking place every June at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Wayne is a resident of Sonoma. In his role as Mr. Gay Days, Wayne travels the country representing the LGBTQI+ and leather community at events and fundraisers. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Jeffrey Wayne, Mr. Gay Days 2023, and Cody Bear, Mr. San Francisco Leather 2016, at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
A banner for KZYX’s Pride Radio Mendocino hangs over a table at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. KZYX was a major sponsor of the event playing dance music. The public radio station’s Pride Radio Mendocino show is live on air every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month. The radio show features local, national and international LGBTQI+ news and music by LGBTQI+ artists and allies.
Ari, a peer recovery coach at the Arbor Youth Resource Center, makes buttons for attendees of Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. A program of Redwood Community Services, Arbor Youth Resource Center helps youth ages 18-24 find support and services to help them move from adolescence to adulthood successfully. Many of the youth served by Arbor are LGBTQI+. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Artist Asher Israel, promoter Nick Johnson, and artist Omar Sisemore (L-R) at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. The friends and artists are allies of the LGBTQI+ community. “We heard the event was being produced and were so stoked,” says Sisemore, “We’re a diverse group ourselves and we love to see people get together and have a good time.” (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Mendocino County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services distributed free Narcan spray and other harm reduction tools at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Garnica’s Fresh Drinks served fresh made lemonade, horchata and snacks at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Terra Sávia, a certified organic wine, farm and animal sanctuary in Hopland offered olive oil tastings at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Heather Wood and Andrew Radabaugh at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. Radabaugh, a Hopland resident and owner of Vino Vendetta, helped co-organize the event. (Sarah Siterch/The Mendocino Voice)
A volunteer serves a glass of Scharffenberger Cellars sparkling wine at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. The event featured a no host bar with volunteers serving local wine and beer with proceeds benefiting the Ford Street Project. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Sasha, Henry, Jamie and Gwen (L-R), with support from school mom Candia in the back, from River Oak Charter School at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. The students served baked goods, drinks and iced coffee. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Bibi, artist and owner of Bibi’s Creations, shows off the Mendo Pride 2023 t-shirt she designed at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Darren Jackson, member of the City of Ukiah Diversity and Equity Committee, speaks at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. Jackson shared updates from the committee and information about upcoming June Pride events planned by the city. Jackson also stressed the importance of coming together as a community and engaging allies and non-LGBTIQ+ individuals in order to increase understanding and unity. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)
Event co-organizers Katharine Cole of the Hoplander and Yvonne Boyd of Ranchomatic Studios on their motorcycles at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
Willits-based drag queen Terracotta Clay with a fan at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
Artist Brianna Paz at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
Crowds gather inside Hopland Tap for the community drag show at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
The stage is set for the community drag show at Hopland Tap at Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
Cody Bear and Jeffrey Wayne host the community drag show at Hopland Tap during Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
Drag queen Terracotta Clay of Willits performs to a packed house community drag show at Hopland Tap during Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
Willits-based drag queen Terracotta Clay performs at Hopland Tap during Mendocino Pride in Hopland on May 20, 2023. (Sarah Stierch/the Mendocino Voice)
The final performance of Mendocino Pride at Hopland Tap was a joyous sing-a-long of “Let it Go,” from the movie Frozen, celebrating inclusivity and love in Hopland on May 20, 2023. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, that’s for sure. (Sarah Stierch/The Mendocino Voice)

Note: Sarah Stierch covers food, beverage, culture, weather and breaking news for The Mendocino Voice. Contact Stierch at [email protected]. The Voice maintains editorial control.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *