Rainbow flags will fill University Avenue this weekend when this year’s Pride Festival hits the streets.
The annual Gainesville Pride Festival will take place from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. At noon, a parade will start at Wild Iris Books, 802 W. University Ave. For an hour, marchers and floats will trickle down University Avenue. By 1 p.m., the parade will flood into Bo Diddley Community Plaza.
Patrons can expect drag queen performances and live performances by local bands. Food vendors will be present throughout, as well as raffles and other activities for children and adults alike.
“Every part of the community that is LGBT-friendly will be involved,” said Bridget Siegel, president of UF Pride Student Union.
The Pride Community Center of North Central Florida hosts the festival, and organizations like Pride Student Union will volunteer at the event to spread awareness.
“This is our time to shine,” said Siegel, a 20-year-old religion junior.
Lauren Hannahs, UF director of LGBT Affairs and board member at the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida, said about 75 vendors participated in the 2011 festival. This year, Hannahs said she is expecting about 100 vendors.
“Gainesville has a thriving pride festival,” Hannahs said. “It’s an indication that the local LGBT community is thriving in itself.”
Hannahs said protesters often come out for the festival, but safety volunteers and police will be present as a precautionary measure.
The LGBT pride festival isn’t limited to the LGBT community, she said.
“Sometimes pride festivals get a bad rep, but ours has a lot of representation throughout the community,” Hannahs said. “The festival is for folks from all walks of life.”
Bobby Brito, a 19-year-old political science junior, said the festival is a great experience.
“Pride shows people that aren’t necessarily ‘out’ yet that there is a large system of support for everyone within Gainesville,” he said. “It’s wonderful.”
