Local rights group Colors of the Valley — also responsible for assembling the Buellton solidarity protest in June — organized a Pride march at Solvang Park to celebrate freedom for all on Independence Day.Â
Due to the warm weather, event co-organizer Aleiza Rogers said the march, which was originally scheduled to travel east to Old Mission Santa Ines, was converted into a community gathering of approximately 50 attendees in Solvang Park, where music, dancing, conversation and desserts provided by La Botte Bistro took place. Â
"Overall, it was a fun experience for a diverse group of people to share their thoughts and experiences ... and ways the youth can help improve the Valley," Rogers said.
The early evening event, which lasted two hours, was attended by a number of area youth and various supporters of the LGBTQ movement and Pride Month, a national awareness campaign each year in June that recognizes the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population.
Buellton celebrated Independence Day on Saturday afternoon with a 12-vehicle parade which rolled through town streets bellowing patriotic music and merrily tossing candy to onlookers clad in red, white and blue.
Solvang City Council members got an earful during a special meeting Tuesday afternoon to consider a proposal for a mixed-use development that calls for the demolition of Veterans Memorial Hall.
It's out in the open – it's fresh air. Everybody's been indoors the last three of four months. I like this better than how it used to be. It reminds me of a Hallmark movie.