Photos: Pride March and Festival mark milestone with joy, remembrance

The Philadelphia Pride March and Festival kicked off Pride Month with a vibrant cascade of color and a half-mile procession through the city and its history Marking years since Pennsylvania became the first U S state to protect LGBTQ employees from discrimination this year s event carried both the weight of history and the levity of celebration Kicking off at a m Sunday at th and Walnut streets the Philly Pride March carried forward the spirit and the legacy of the s Annual Reminders These early gay and lesbian civil rights demonstrations held at Independence Hall every Fourth of July from to were among the first of their kind in the United States Though Pride is invariably joyful countless participants such as Jett Steinem of West Philadelphia also used this day to reflect on and mark the past Noting that the first Pride march was essentially a funeral march Steinem remembered the weight of the past and the courage of queer ancestors who enabled Steinem to celebrate openly at present with so much of my region out in the streets PrideFest attendees celebrate on Sunday June Photo by Hanbit Kwon Opening remarks by Jos DeMarco of ACT UP echoed this sentiment DeMarco reminded participants that resistance is essential now more than ever and that silence still equals death Gathering itself is an act of resistance and DeMarco reminded attendees of the power of society We are resilient and this is our day of delight he stated Following in the footsteps in the original spirit of the picket demonstrations of the Annual Reminders this year s march was entirely people-powered The vehicle-free wheelchair- and stroller-friendly procession wove from Old City to the heart of the Gayborhood flanked by cheering supporters waving free mini-flags handed out by supporters at th and Walnut A -foot Progress Pride flag larger than a city block and the largest in the country rippled overhead a living banner carried by assistants and attendees of all ages genders and backgrounds Pride March participants carry the Pride Flag on Sunday June Photo by Hanbit Kwon The flag was a powerful testament to the evolution of the traditional rainbow flag Originally featuring eight stripes the rainbow flag widely credited to late activist Gilbert Baker dates back to Baker s flag was later simplified to six stripes due to pink fabric shortages and a desire for symmetry The updated Progress Pride design expands on that legacy The Progress version as described by The Human Rights Campaign includes additional white pink and light blue stripes to honor the transgender neighborhood as well as black and brown stripes representing LGBTQ people of color The black stripe also serves as a memorial to lives lost during the HIV AIDS epidemic adding a layer of remembrance to a symbol already rich with meaning At noon the March shifted to the Pride Festival beginning at th and Walnut streets Its newly expanded footprint filled the blocks from Walnut to Pine streets and from Juniper to Quince streets with six designated entertainment zones labeled Visibility Unity Legacy Youth Family Relaxed and Sweat The festival featured attractions with a kid-friendly area live performances celebrating LGBTQ history and dry bars for sober celebration Local businesses celebrated as well with longtime Gayborhood staples like Woody s and Tavern on Camac opening their doors wide All ages took part in the Pride March on Sunday June Photo by Hanbit Kwon With organizational leadership from Philly Pride and fiscal sponsorship by the Urban Affairs Coalition Pride weekend kicked off Friday evening with a Pride Promenade at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and culminated Sunday in a sprawling and affirming festival of Philly L U V Legacy Unity and Visibility Scroll through more photos below highlighting the vibrant beauty and legacy of this year s Philly Pride March and Festival Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon Photo by Hanbit Kwon The post Photos Pride March and Festival mark milestone with elation remembrance appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY