San Diego LGBT Pride made its first-ever appearance in this city’s 29th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, marching in a contingent of 25 people. The Pride contingent consisted of 30 floats featuring a giant, bedazzled leprechaun and marchers who were waving rainbow flags.

Organized by the Irish Congress of Southern California, the parade traversed Fifth and Sixth avenues between Upas and Laurel and featured Mayor Jerry Sanders as executive grand marshal. This year’s parade theme, titled, “Celebrating Children’s Services,” focused on adoption services, fostering and mentoring – issues that are of political importance to the GLBT community as it has fought over the years for the right to legally adopt and provide foster care.

San Diego Pride’s successful participation in the parade was significant and victorious compared to St. Patrick Day parades that have refused organized GLBT groups from marching in cities such as New York and Boston.

In 1992, the Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Group of Boston won court orders in the Massachusetts Supreme Court to march in the city’s parade after organizers initially denied the group for “safety reasons.” The political battle continued each year, reaching the U.S. Supreme Court in 1995, at which point the judges ruled unanimously that parade organizers were allowed to ban GLBT groups from marching, thus reversing the state court rulings.

“This was an excellent opportunity to carry Pride’s message of equality and diversity to an audience outside the gayborhood,” said Ron deHarte, Pride executive director. “We were thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive reaction we received from the crowd. This was a good day for advancing our mission of fostering pride in and respect for all LGBT communities.”

The Imperial Court de San Diego and the Redwing Bar & Grill will host Bonnets and Baskets, an event benefiting the 7th Annual GLBT Community Children’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 28, from 3 to 6 p.m.

With the current economy, the Imperial Court needs the community’s support now more than ever to bring the spirit of Easter to hundreds of children and families in need.

Bonnets and Baskets will feature an Easter Bonnet Contest, along with a variety of other games, raffles and prizes. There will also be plenty of food and drinks served by Redwing.

Granny Pearl is emcee of the event and Joni Moore and Emperor Tone Puente are co-hosts. A donation of a store-bought Easter basket valued at $10 is requested. For more information, contact Joni Moore at jmmooresdca@gmail.com.

The 11th annual Cesar E. Chavez Commemorative Breakfast in honor of the late United Farm Workers founder and civil rights hero will take place at the Convention Center in Downtown San Diego on Monday, March 30, at 7:30 a.m.

This year’s keynote speaker will be, Dolores Huerta, who along with Cesar Chavez founded the United Farm Workers. UFW helped farm workers to attain livable wages and humane working conditions.

As part of the weekend-long celebration, a Memorial March and Parade will also take place on Saturday March 28, from starting at 10 a.m. Gracias Molina De Pick will be this year’s Grand Marshall.

Following the Parade, a Community Celebration will take in the heart of historic Downtown Logan Heights on Logan Avenue. Free booth space is available for community organizations.

For more information about events listed and other events that will take place in and around San Diego to honor Cesar Chavez, contact John Acosta at 619-207 4592 or quepasasandiego@hotmail.com.

The annual Mr./Ms./Miss Gay San Diego pageant will be held on Sunday, April 19, at Bacchus House, located at 3054 University Ave. in North Park. The Imperial Court de San Diego is organizing this year’s pageant as a benefit for Project STAR, which offers case-management, referral, and supportive services for transgender persons at high risk for HIV and STDs, transition-related issues, monitored hormone therapy, and those individuals experiencing barriers accessing health and social services. Project Star is a program of Family Health Centers of San Diego. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the pageant will start at 6 p.m.

The Imperial Court de San Diego’s reigning Princess Royale, Lexi Styles, and Former Princess Royale, Regina Styles, will host the event. The pageant will consist of three different categories for “Mr.,” “Ms.” and “Miss.” The “Mr.” and “Ms.” Contestants will participate in casual and evening wear. “Miss” contestants will participate in a talent competition, and evening gown.

“The pageant is a great experience for all who participate, plus it’s really all about having fun and raising money for a good cause,” Regina Styles said. For more information or to participate, contact Regina at 619-288-1183.

The entire community is welcome to participate in the pageant.

The Imperial court is a nonprofit organization that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities and people in need in its 37 year history.

The San Diego Democratic Club (SDDC) is preparing for the statewide special election that will take place in California on Tuesday, May 19, and the group wants to know your stand on pay raises for state legislators, property tax re-evaluation and other budget measures that may affect you directly.

SDDC is the GLBT Democratic club and welcomes all who support equality to the debate.

SDDC will hold its monthly meeting at Joyce Beers Community Center, 4065 Vermont St. in the Uptown area of Hillcrest on Thursday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, call 619-200-8194 or visit www.sddemoclub.org.

San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride has made available on its Web site a user-friendly application that allows 2009 Pride volunteers to sign up electronically for this summer’s 35th Pride celebration, scheduled for July 18-19.

This year’s theme is “Stonewall 2.0 – Activism for Equality,” which reflects a new, energized generation of GLBT grassroots activists as they confront current legal challenges for securing equal rights. The theme also recognizes the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, which served as the flashpoint for GLBT activism in the decades leading up to now.

Prospective volunteers may apply for numerous positions available during July’s two-day celebration, or choose to assist in the areas of setup and breakdown in the days prior or following Pride weekend. In addition, Pride welcomes year-round volunteers to serve on various planning committees and work within the Pride office, located at 1807 Robinson St., Suite 106.

Volunteer orientations will be conducted at the Pride office on the first Saturday and second Tuesday of every month, from 10 to 11:15 a.m., and 7 to 8:15 p.m., respectively. And from June 1-5, Pride will host volunteer signups in The Center’s Cyber Café from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Volunteers who work a five-hour shift will receive a two-day festival pass, a free meal ticket at the festival (per every shift they work), a souvenir T-shirt and an invitation to Pride’s annual volunteer appreciation party.

The deadline for volunteer signups is June 30.

“Volunteers are the foundation of Pride and contributed more than 7,500 hours to support our LGBT civil rights movement in 2008,” said Pride executive director, Ron deHarte. “The time, talent and energy of hundreds of volunteers drive the programs that support LGBT civil rights activism and awareness in San Diego and mentorship of Pride organizations around the world.”

For more information about volunteer opportunities, call 619-297-7683, ext. 111 or visit www.sandiegopride.org.