A balloon marked with a rainbow flag flew high above the Steele Indian School Park, Saturday, announcing the arrival of the 28th annual Phoenix Pride Festival. Gays, lesbians and straight supporters from around the valley flooded the normally quite park, to watch live concerts, shop hundreds of booths and get really drunk in the warm weekend sun.
The day kicked off with a ruckus parade up 3rd street, complete with gaudy floats, drag-queens, guys on stilts and lots of classic cars. Over 2000 people walked in the parade and both sides of the streets were buzzing with onlookers.
The grassy park was a sea of white booths and stages, surrounded at all times by people. While most event goers stuck to standard issue weekend wear, there were plenty of others who decided to see how far they could stand out from the crowds. Skinny guys in tight, black hot pants navigated their way through the crowd, along with tattoo and chain-covered bikers and topless girls with only rainbow stickers covering their nipples.
Giovacchini says pride is a requisite within the gay community. “You go because it’s the thing to do if you’re gay,” says Giovacchini. “Pride gives people the chance to come down and show some solidarity for their community, and to be in the majority for once, instead of always being different.”
