The two events, held in Balboa Park, typically attract 250,000 participants. Pride’s biggest event is its Festival and Parade, which both occur in July. Today, Pride produces and sponsors many events Equality Torch Relay, Walk For Equality and the annual LGBT Pride Celebration. San Diego Pride was formed in 1974 and produced the first Lesbian and Gay Parade in San Diego. Last year The Center provided more than 46,000 direct service visits to San Diego community members, and through its events, activities and advocacy, touched the lives of thousands more. For more info on the center visit its site: The Center is led by a 20-member board of directors, employs over 40 paid staff and utilizes more than 800 community volunteers. The Center provides direct program services to the many different facets of the LGBT community, including men, women, youth, seniors, families, LGBT Latino community members and their families, and those struggling with HIV. Today, it is the second oldest and third largest LGBT Community Center in the nation. From the beginning The Center’s mission was to enhance the health and well-being of the LGBT community and to promote human rights. The San Diego LGBT Community Center started in 1971, with an answering machine and a closet. Check out the must see places and things to do below. San Diego State University (SDSU) recently received a five-star rating for being a safe haven for LGBT students for the second year in a row from Campus Pride. But what makes the city truly unique is the friendliness and acceptance of San Diegans making it an awesome place for the LGBT community. The communities of Hillcrest and Mission Hills both have a large gay population and host a number of Pride events throughout the year. San Diego is known as a lot of things, American’s Finest City and a military nucleus just to name a few.