Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Inaugural ‘Center Ride Out,’ Raised Over $800K for Life-Saving Services Supporting LGBTQ+ Communities
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Three-day cycling event brings together more than 300 riders and volunteers across Southern California, culminating in a San Diego finish line celebration
Presented by Gilead Sciences
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Courtesy of the Los Angeles LGBT Center | Jordyn Doyel
LOS ANGELES, April 27, 2026—The Los Angeles LGBT Center has successfully concluded the inaugural Center Ride Out, an AIDS/LifeCycle legacy event, raising $830,511 to support the Center’s life-saving programs and services for LGBTQ+ communities.
From April 24–26, 2026, more than 300 cyclists and volunteers rode from Los Angeles to San Diego, covering approximately 285 miles across Southern California.
“Center Ride Out carries forward the legacy of AIDS/LifeCycle, rooted in a time when our community came together to care for one another,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “Today, our riders are building a legacy that will shape the future of generations to come. Every mile ridden and every dollar raised suupports life-saving services for LGBTQ+ people.”
The three-day experience began with an emotional sendoff at Elysian Park, where riders departed before sunrise on Day 1 and traveled more than 110 miles to Basecamp at Lake Skinner in the Temecula area.
Day 2 offered a “choose your own adventure” experience, giving participants the option to rest and recharge at Basecamp or take one of two loop rides through Riverside County’s scenic landscapes. At Basecamp, riders gathered for a full day of programming, including wellness and medical services, camp-style activities, and live entertainment featuring RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 winner Willow Pill as Camp Stage headliner, alongside Camp Counselors Meat Ball and Miss Barbie-Q, with Camp DJ Litch Please—bringing the spirit of queer summer camp to life.
On Day 3, riders set out on an 87-mile journey from Riverside County to San Diego, traveling along rolling backcountry roads and coastal stretches before completing the final miles in the historic Hillcrest neighborhood. The ride concluded with a celebratory Finish Line Festival outside the San Diego LGBT Community Center, where riders were welcomed home with a block-party featuring live performances from drag artists Kickxy Vixen and Arrietty.
As funding for LGBTQ+ programs continue to face ongoing challenges, events like Center Ride Out are critical to sustaining the Center’s work across four impact areas: Healthcare, Housing and Social Services, Culture and Education, and Advocacy. In addition, 10 percent of net proceeds will benefit the San Diego LGBT Community Center and The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
Presenting sponsor Gilead Sciences has long supported efforts to expand access to HIV prevention and treatment, and continues to partner with the Los Angeles LGBT Center to advance health equity and deliver life-saving care to LGBTQ+ communities.
With its inaugural ride complete, Center Ride Out marks the beginning of a new chapter, one that will continue to grow this community-powered movement in the years ahead.
Registration and fundraising for Center Ride Out 2027 are now open. The three-day ride will return April 23–25, 2027. Learn more and sign up HERE.
Center Ride Out is made possible by Presenting Sponsor Gilead Sciences.
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About Center Ride Out
Center Ride Out, an AIDS/LifeCycle legacy event, is a three-day cycling adventure across Southern California benefiting the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Designed to celebrate resilience, community, and pride on the road, the event invites riders and volunteers to continue the enduring legacy of AIDS/LifeCycle while supporting the Center’s life-saving programs and services. Learn more at lalgbtcenter.org/centerrideout or follow @CenterRideOut on all socials.
About the Los Angeles LGBT Center
Since 1969, the Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond. Today, the Center’s nearly 800 employees provide services for more LGBTQ+ people than any other organization in the world, offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy. We are an unstoppable force in the fight against bigotry and the struggle to build a better world; a world in which LGBTQ+ people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society. Learn more at lalgbtcenter.org