Sonic pleasures and visual spectacles

The Sacramento Pride Festival kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 14. The parade starts on Third Street and runs along N Street toward the Capitol. The festival takes place on Capitol Mall between Third and Seventh streets, and admission is $10.

Even though headliner Neon Hitch doesn’t like to limit herself to plans, festivalgoers can expect to hear at least one song at Pride: “Queen.”

“It’s a beautiful song—my gift to the gay community,” she says.

The entertainment bill also features Washington, D.C.-based, Catholic seminarian-turned-troubadour Tom Goss.

His acoustic-pop sound is often compared to Jason Mraz, but Goss sings just as much about love as he does politics. His music videos in support of marriage equality and against “don’t ask, don’t tell” have racked up millions of views on YouTube.

With major dancing skills and a passion for disco, rap and rock, Xavier Toscano should deliver a dynamic, energetic show. The San Francisco-based musician creates a brand of pop that’s Top 40-influenced and radio-ready.

Local spoken-word artist (and, full disclosure, SN&R’s ad-services coordinator) Jovi Radtke will also perform. The artist, who identifies as “they,” is Texas-born, Christian, Republican and queer, and poetry is an ideal outlet for their understandably complicated identity questions. Radtke also regularly speaks out about LGBT issues such as transgender education, AIDs awareness and suicide due to homophobic bullying.

Apart from sonic pleasures, there will also be a visual spectacle, courtesy of Raven and Mayhem Miller in drag.

For more information about the festival and its entertainment schedule, visit www.sacramentopride.org.