After years of advocacy, Indio will host its first city-sponsored Pride celebration

For years, Jonathan Becerra traveled west to Palm Springs to celebrate Pride. This year, Pride is coming to his neighborhood.

“I can almost walk to it,” he said.

After more than a year of advocacy from Becerra and other community members, Indio will host its first city-sponsored Pride celebration on June 13 in downtown Indio.

In March, the Indio City Council agreed to move forward with the event after Councilmember Oscar Ortiz proposed dedicating a city-sponsored concert to LGBTQ+ residents during Pride Month.

Ortiz said local business owners connected Indio’s economic growth to its reputation as a welcoming place for residents and visitors alike. 

“They attributed it to how accepting our community is to everyone. Everyone can come to our city and feel right at home. Our businesses treat everyone like they’re family,” Ortiz said. 

He later attended a presentation from Health Assessment and Research for Communities (HARC) that highlighted data about LGBTQ+ residents in the Coachella Valley. He said those findings, along with requests from community members for an event recognizing LGBTQ+ residents, inspired him to advance a proposal aimed at reinforcing Indio’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive community. 

Councilmembers expressed support for the idea, with no objections raised during the discussion.

A representative from The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, which organizes the annual East Coachella Valley Pride celebration each October, backed the proposal during public comment. The festival draws hundreds of residents each year for live performances, art, food and community resources. Supporters said the new event would complement those efforts by bringing a city-sponsored Pride celebration to Indio during Pride Month itself.

“Supporting us simply means recognizing the people who have been here for a long time,” said Miguel Navarro, the center’s director of East Coachella Valley programs.

The roots of the event can be traced to at least June 2024, when Becerra publicly urged the Indio City Council to recognize Pride month and fly a Pride flag at City Hall. During the meeting, city leaders declined to expand official city observances beyond federally recognized holidays.

“I remember feeling very discouraged,” Becerra said. 

Six months later, Becerra said he submitted a formal proposal for a city-sponsored Pride event. He continued meeting with city officials and community members, building support for the idea. Becerra credited Ortiz, former Mayor Lupe Ramos Amith and Mayor Pro Tem Waymond Fermon with helping keep the conversation alive and encouraging him to continue pursuing the proposal.

Although he said he initially faced some pushback, he continued his conversations with city leaders.

Over time, organizers and city leaders found common ground by framing the event as a community-centered music and arts celebration that would recognize LGBTQ+ residents while remaining open and welcoming to the broader public.

The Pride-themed concert is scheduled for June 13 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Center Stage in downtown Indio. The lineup will feature Ju!ian and the Band, Giselle Woo & The Night Owls, and Mariachi Arcoíris. Admission is free and open to all.

“This will be the first Pride I ever go to in my hometown. And I am 36 years old,” Becerra said.

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