Rio Rancho will host its first Pride festival next year, following months of community organizing that began after a Sandoval Signpost story highlighted the absence of LGBTQ+ celebrations in Sandoval County.
Deb Dapson, a Rio Rancho City Council member and part of the planning committee, said the event will take place at Haynes Park in June 2026, featuring vendors, food trucks, stage performances and family activities like bounce houses. The festival format is modeled after Rio Rancho’s popular Juneteenth celebration. While Dapson represents District 1 on Rio Rancho’s Governing Body, Dapson said the Pride celebration is not a city-planned event.

“We’re looking to create a festival event similar to the Juneteenth event, which will happen later in the month,” Dapson told the Signpost. “There will be no parade, but we are planning to have vendors, food trucks, various acts on the stage, a bounce house and more.”
The planning effort began after the Sandoval Signpost published an article in May titled “Where’s the Pride in Sandoval County?” which examined the lack of Pride events in the area. That story prompted Dapson to reach out to a friend who had experience planning events in Albuquerque.
“Your article did get the ball rolling,” Dapson said. “I’d been thinking about it. When your article came out, I reached out to my friend who liked the idea and was more than willing to help.”
The planning committee was formed through connections made via Facebook’s Rio Rancho Pride page, bringing together community members and allies. Dapson emphasized that while she helped initiate the effort, the event is being planned by the LGBTQ+ community itself.
“I had been thinking about this since becoming a council member, but knew that the event would have to be planned by the (LGBTQ+) community and allies,” she said. “I am not taking a leadership role in the planning; my role was to get the ball rolling.”
The committee held its first official planning meeting in June, which organizers described as “incredibly productive.” They are now seeking participation from LGBTQ+-owned businesses and ally organizations for sponsorship opportunities and vendor partnerships.
The event will be free for attendees, with costs covered entirely through vendor and food truck fees. Dapson said she has been working to obtain cost estimates for permits, insurance, and security to help the committee determine vendor pricing.
Organizers have tentatively reserved two potential dates in June at Haynes Park, with the final date to be confirmed once Albuquerque Pride announces its schedule. “We don’t want to compete with ABQ Pride,” Dapson said.
When asked about potential obstacles, Dapson expressed confidence in the planning process. “Honestly, I don’t see any obstacles in creating this event,” she said. “The group is prepared to get all the permits, insurance, etc. that any event planner outside of the city needs to get and so I don’t see any difficult hurdles there. It’s not a city event, it’s a private community event.”