San Diego will celebrate LGBT pride this weekend, and marching in the parade this year for the second time is a band of local high school students.
"The San Diego Pride Youth Marching Band is the conception of a bunch area band directors who were watching the Pride parade one year and said, 'Hey, we ought to get some kids together and put a marching band together and march them in the Pride parade,'" band director Russ Sperling said. "So we just have been rounding up kids from throughout the county."
RELATED: North County’s LGBT Community Looks Forward To Pride Parade
The students gathered at the San Diego Unified District offices in Hillcrest to rehearse Thursday. They played songs by Lady Gaga and Pit Bull.
Sixteen-year-old Rita D'Agnillo of Mar Vista High School in National City is the band’s drum major.
Celebrating Pride Weekend? Here's What You Need To Know
FRIDAY
6 p.m. Spirit of Stonewall Rally
6 p.m.-11 p.m. Pride of Hillcrest Block Party
SATURDAY
9:30 a.m. Pride 5K Run and Walk
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Parade (starts at University Avenue and Normal Street, turns south on Sixth Avenue, left on Balboa Drive and ends at Laurel Street. More info, including street closures and parking, here)
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Music festival featuring Kesha (full lineup and tickets here)
SUNDAY
11 a.m.-8 p.m. Music festival (full lineup and tickets here)
Find a map of festival attractions and entertainment zones here.
"I identify as bisexual, so yeah, LGBT," she said, putting an emphasis on the "B."
"Our school is really chill about that stuff, but I know there's a lot of places that isn't. So it's really nice to be a part of something that is so inclusive," D'Agnillo said.
San Diego Unified's Gay-Straight Alliance student group and district faculty and staff will also march in the parade. It starts at 11 a.m. Saturday and will wind through Hillcrest along University and Sixth avenues. A music festival and 5K race are also part of the festivities.
Related: Study: 2014 San Diego Pride Had $10.9M Economic Impact
D'Agnillo said she's looking forward to seeing San Diego's support for the LGBT community along the mile-long parade route.
"I’ve been getting so many people saying they support it and stuff, so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in the audience cheering and stuff," she said. "That’s the best."
