This Pride, party promoter, Paul Gunn is trippling his party lode with three unique parties at three different venues.

GAYMPLAN: So you have three big parties this Pride. What would you say are the main differences between them?

PAUL GUNN: Hanmandle has always been about creating something that felt missing in San Diego nightlife. Since starting events about eight years ago, the goal has been to build a space that feels less commercial and more immersive — something inspired by New York, San Francisco, and underground queer nightlife cultures rather than the typical circuit-party atmosphere. All three Pride events this year exist within the same family, but they each serve different purposes and energies. Friday night starts with a much heavier house sound featuring Karsten Sollors, while Hanmandle itself offers three different DJ environments where people can wander between indoor and outdoor stages throughout the night. Afterlode is also being introduced this year as a new late-night concept connected to Club San Diego, inspired by the spirit of the old NUDIES-style parties. Brotherlode, meanwhile, is essentially the “little brother” to Hanmandle — carrying a similar tone and aesthetic while happening in a completely different venue with a different musical approach and atmosphere.

GAYMPLAN: What should people expect this year? Anything different from last year?

PAUL GUNN: This year the production has expanded significantly and we have a new team. Lighting has been stepped up, especially within the outdoor spaces, and a huge amount of energy has gone into building installations, environments, and visual moments across the weekend. There’s a real focus on making each event feel intentionally designed rather than just dropping people into another generic Pride party.

Brotherlode is also a completely new concept this year, and we’re excited for people to experience how each event brings a different tone while still existing within the same world.

GAYMPLAN: What should people wear?

PAUL GUNN: Creativity and individuality are heavily encouraged. We want people to express themselves and feel comfortable being bold, playful, sexy, weird — whatever version of themselves they want to bring into the space. Although there’s still a playful standard: at minimum, guests should probably wear at least a jockstrap.

GAYMPLAN: Who are the DJs? What kind of music should people expect?

PAUL GUNN: Music remains one of the core foundations of everything. Across the weekend there are eight DJs performing, with Hanmandle itself featuring three separate DJ areas — two outdoors and one indoors. The sound leans heavily into house, tech house, disco, bass-heavy grooves, and music that feels sexy and immersive without falling into predictable circuit territory. There’s a strong desire to give people something unexpected musically while still creating spaces where people can either fully dance or simply exist comfortably within the environment.

GAYMPLAN: Where does the word Hanmandle come from?

PAUL GUNN: The name Hanmandle itself came about almost accidentally years ago during Folsom Street Fair. My mate Ramslam ramdomly said the word “Hanmandle” in conversation — either intentionally or by mistake — and it instantly sounded absurd and memorable enough to become a party name. Ironically, he no longer remembers saying it.

GAYMPLAN: What are some of the challenges to putting these parties on?

PAUL GUNN: One of the biggest challenges in San Diego is finding venues that fit the type of events we produce. Over the years, many spaces have become more commercialized, while iconic venues and queer spaces have disappeared due to development and social clash. Because of that, supportive venues become incredibly important. We’re really grateful to work with spaces that still actively support queer nightlife, community-driven events, and alternative creative culture in San Diego.

GAYMPLAN: We love your poster art. Where does it come from?

PAUL GUNN: I come from a photography and fine arts background and have a strong desire to avoid the repetitive imagery that dominates a lot of gay nightlife advertising. Rather than relying on the same generic muscular circuit imagery or AI-generated aesthetics, the visuals tend to pull from abstract references, surrealism, queer iconography, anime, film, and body distortion. This year in particular, inspiration came from Gulliver’s Travels, Akira, and exaggerated body scaling imagery involving giant and miniature figures. There’s also a strong belief in working with real queer artists and designers who are embedded within nightlife culture itself, rather than outsourcing creativity into something sterile or algorithmic.

GAYMPLAN: Are you thinking of expanding to other cities ever?

PAUL GUNN: Honestly, no. There was once interest in expanding into cities like Palm Springs, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, or Texas, but Hanmandle was never intended to become a massive commercial nightlife machine. I do this because I genuinely love queer nightlife and want to create the type of spaces I personally would want to attend. Keeping that authenticity matters more than trying to scale endlessly.

GAYMPLAN: What should people wear/bring?

PAUL GUNN: Leave your baggage outside. The hope is that people walk into these spaces feeling safe, free, and able to fully celebrate themselves and the people around them. Bring a good attitude, your friends, and a willingness to get lost in the environment for a while.

GAYMPLAN: Any tips for having a good time?

PAUL GUNN: Explore. Wander between spaces. Talk to people. Sit outside for a while. Dance for a while. Let yourself disconnect from the normal Pride chaos and just enjoy the atmosphere. The events are intentionally designed to feel immersive, so the more people allow themselves to settle into the environment, the better the experience becomes.

GAYMPLAN: What do you dislike seeing at your parties?

PAUL GUNN: Honestly, our crowd is usually pretty respectful and there for the right reasons. So when something feels out of step with the energy, it stands out quickly. I’d say maybe poop on the dance floor… or someone who completely ignores the space and who it’s intended for. Hanmandle is unapologetically built for gay men, and I think that clarity is exactly why people keep coming back..

GAYMPLAN: What do you love seeing at them?

PAUL GUNN: The greatest joy in producing these events comes from watching other people experience joy. A huge amount of thought goes into how people move through a space, interact with each other, and emotionally experience the environments being built around them. Seeing people come together, explore the installations, dance, flirt, laugh, and genuinely lose themselves in the moment is ultimately what makes all the work worthwhile.

GAYMPLAN: What do you think is unique about San Diego Pride?

PAUL GUNN: One of the things that makes San Diego Pride unique is the city’s weather and the ability to create nightlife experiences outdoors. Most of Hanmandle takes place outside, and that creates something especially magical for people visiting from colder cities or places without that same culture of outdoor nightlife. There’s something really special about dancing outdoors in San Diego during Pride weekend that feels uniquely Southern California.

GAYMPLAN: Thanks so much for your time Paul. We hope you have as much fun hosting your parties on as we do attending them!

PAUL GUNN: Thanks!