In the middle of controversy about the headliner Kehlani, San Diego Pride reports his flagship festival with ticket sales way up-san diego union tribune

Despite the funding and months of controversy over the management of San Diego Pride, the annual weekend celebration of the organization of almost the two-day festival is even more participants than last year.

Turnover with festival cards increased by 80% compared to around 25,000, which were sold last year, interim executive director Kristin Flickinger said on Tuesday. Kehlani heads the festival on Saturday with Kim Petras on Sunday.

“Both headliners are queer artists at Grammy level, and they can see that the community is very excited for this year's line-up,” said Flickinger.

Around a quarter of a million people usually visit the annual Pride Parade in San Diego, the largest one-day Civic event in the region.

But the parade and the festival this year were scattered in the debate, especially about the headliner of the festival, Kehlani, and the comments of the singer about Israel War in Gaza, which caused dozens of organizations and local managers to distance themselves from Pride events this year.

San Diego Pride has also exposed itself to the financing problems that it would like to compensate for with ticket sales.

According to Flickinger, around 10% of its corporate financing of around $ 1 million in company sponsoring funds, which is partly due to Kehlani's controversy and partially due to a national change in diversity, stock and inclusion initiatives, which the Federal Government led.

“There was this coordinated pressure campaign, and this led to sponsors being withdrawn financially,” said Flickinger.

“So if we have more people, we have more beverage sales, which means that we have more income that can replace the company sponsorship that has flown out of pride this year,” she added.

The organization also received a grant of 376,000 US dollars from the city's Department of Cultural Affairs to finance the events of this month, including the parade and the festival.

On site, the leadership and decisions of San Diego Pride shaked the trust of several group groups.

Last month, a group of LGBTQ+ leaders warned of a “profound crisis” in the non -profit organization in a letter to the board of San Diego Pride and demanded reforms about transparency and communication.

Public criticism was carried out weeks after dozens of Jewish organizations did not take part in Pride events this year, since they cited concerns about Kehlani's statements about Israel and the safety of the Jewish participants.

Several chosen officials, including the mayor Todd Gloria, said they would not take part in the selection of the headliner either.

Kehlani publicly expressed the Palestinians in Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza and was accused of promoting anti -Semitic rhetoric on social media and in their music.

In the past few months, several other local organizations, including meals on wheels, Mamas Kitchen and Jamul Casino Resort, have decided not to take part in the parade due to the planned performance of the singer. The district inspector Jordan Marks announced on Wednesday that his office will not take part this year either.

In a letter in June, the Pride leader announced that he would not take part in the festival, the mayor said that he had expected the organization to keep Kehlani because the headliner demanded protests and encouraged them to work with the law enforcement authorities to ensure security.

According to Flickinger, San Diego Pride increases security at the festival but mainly due to the nationwide increase in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation.

It adds more festival security teams, updates the entry guidelines for festival inputs and brings legal observers – voluntary lawyers to observe interactions between participants and law enforcement authorities.

“Protests are nothing new for LGBTQ+ congratulations and pride. This is something to navigate to that we are used to,” said Flickinger. “This year, with everything that happens nationwide, we absolutely increase our security and security lawyers. It is the person responsible to keep everyone as safe as possible.”

But many Jewish organizations emphasize that pride for Jews does not feel a safe event this year.

In response to this, an event called J-Pride will take place on Saturday as an alternative to the Pride Festival this year.

“We have a large group of Jews in the LGBTQ+ community that no longer feel safe to take part,” said Liat Cohen -Reeis, the director of the anti -Semitism Task Force from San Diego in Standwithus. “We don't want you to miss you proudly.”

In mid-June, the anti-Semitism Task Force started a campaign with which Pride organizers Kehlani could remove Kehlani as an event headliner, with advertising boards, printing and digital ads and public relations in Pride sponsors and parade participants who asked them not to participate this year.

The initiative also included an e -mail campaign in which people with pride organizers, sponsors and elected officers turn to their concerns about the headliner. Around 3,000 emails were sent in early July, said Cohen-Reeis.

Some community members such as Cohen-Reeeis are also upset that the financing of the city goes to the Pride Festival.

San Diego Pride received a grant of around 376,000 US dollars for his Pride Week events on the creative communities of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

According to the grant application, the Pride Week events, including the festival, have a budget of approximately 2.1 million dollars. The city's grant financing corresponds less than 18% of this total budget.

“While individual artists or specific programs can be considered challenging by some, the city confirms the importance of artistic freedom and expression,” said a city spokesman. “It is expected that all financing recipients adhere to the city's non -discrimination policy.”

Flickinger said that San Diego Pride had spoken about the Kehlani concerns at Community members, but she deals with the efforts to draw the financing of Pride events and to see them as part of a broader attempt.

For them, the robust ticket sales show that most community supports the festival line -up and “maintained a room in which different voices can speak”.

Originally published: July 17, 2025 at 5:00 a.m. PDT