Laughing Your Way Through Gay Pride at the Wells Fargo Center

As I’ve noted in a couple of prior blogs, Sonoma County Gay Pride comprises a full week of events, from the parade and festival in Guerneville on June 6 to a Pride Interfaith Service at Santa Rosa’s Unitarian Universalist church on June 13. Another major event is the 16th Annual Pride Comedy Night, which takes place at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts on Saturday, June 12, at 8 pm. The concert is headlined by the very funny comedian Vickie Shaw, along with actor and stand-up comic Daniel Leary, of LOGO TV fame.

If you’re not already familiar with the venue, this is an excellent opportunity to visit Santa Rosa’s centrally located, nicely designed Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. It’s Sonoma’s top venue for big-name music acts, comedy, theater, as well as the annual Kendall Jackson Symphony Pops Series and a Family Fun Series. Throughout the rest of the summer, keep an eye out for several noted performers – Lyle Lovett, Blondie, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Natalie Merchant, and Melissa Etheridge among them.

There are also rotating visual arts installations, both inside and outdoors, throughout the year. The modern facility – built in the early 1970s – benefits from excellent acoustics, nice sightlines from just about every one of the 1,600 seats, free parking, and a relaxed vibe that distinguishes from many similar venues in the Bay Area (which sometimes necessitate battling crowds and traffic). And although you can’t eat or drink in the theater, the lobby bar sells an excellent range of local wines as well as other refreshments. The center is just off the U.S. 101 freeway’s Mark West Springs Road exit, just 5 miles north of downtown Santa Rosa. Tickets for all events can be purchased online, in person, or by calling the box office at 707-546-3600.

Be sure to check out the Twilight T-Dance to kick-off Sonoma County Pride.