The colors of the rainbow stood out against the night sky as people lined up on Main Street with loud music pulsed through the streets, energizing the crowd.
Attendees creatively expressed themselves with rainbows, some wearing flags on their backs and others painted. Everyone was uniquely themselves, which is one thing that Pride is known for.
The Famously Hot South Carolina Pride festival hosted its 29th consecutive celebration on Main Street. Last year’s event saw their largest attendance on record, and this year did not disappoint either.
A parade kicked off the night that included many local vendors and groups there in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
One of these groups, Free Pride Mom Hugs, was a recently formed organization for parents and family members who either have children that's a part of the LGBTQ+ community or are there for those whose parents are not in support of their sexuality or gender identity. Members wore t-shirts that said “Free Hugs” and carried different colored balloons.
The organization started off through a Facebook group and now has over 300 members. For the first night at the parade, the organization had a turnout of over 40 people.
“We’re just here to be positive and spread the message that it doesn’t matter who you are, how you identify, what your orientation is — there are other people like you and there are people who love you,” Jen Bailey Bergen, one of the organizers, said.
Students from USC also attended, showing their own support and enjoying the fun-filled event. William Leech, a second-year retailing student with a concentration in fashion merchandising, attended his first official Pride parade.
“I didn’t go to the pride parade last year, and it’s always been kind of an interesting thing for me, so I thought it would be pretty fun to come out and support,” Leech said.
Although the festival has been around since 1989, some attendees acknowledged that the South still has a reputation of not being as accepting as other parts of the country.
“The community here is very strong in certain aspects, it just needs more of a presence,” Leech said.
However, the festival does give those who are a part of and support the LGBTQ+ community a chance to thrive.
“This is very important because it gives us a presence. It kind of shows that Columbia is a very diversified area,” Leech said.
The event included appearances on stage by artists such as Lisa Stansfield, who performed in her first pride event. Stansfield is well-known for '80s hit songs such as “All Around the World," and she recently made a comeback, releasing No. 1 hits such as “Everything."
Alissa Watkins has attended Pride for the past ten years as a street vendor and runs her own booth. At her booth, Watkins makes custom shirts that portray themes of equality and sometimes politics.
“It’s festive and it’s enjoyable, and I like to spread the message of equality,” Watkins said.