Thousands upon thousands of people crammed into about a mile’s worth of road Saturday evening for the annual St. Pete Pride.
The 2015 festival, the city’s 13th, has grown into Florida’s largest LGBT and diversity celebration.
Charged from Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling making same-sex marriage the law of the land in all 50-state, the festivities were all the more festive.
From decked out queens to scantily clad babes, this year’s Pride had the makings of one heckuva photo shoot. If you didn’t go, here’s just some of what you missed.
It’s not everyday you see grown men dressed this fabulously – let alone several per street block. Pride is a representation of, well, pride. That means out come the wigs and fishnets and if you don’t like my fuzzy pink package, get over it.
Of course, there’s this lovely … gal.
But Pride isn’t just about the drag queen. Women assembled some pretty awesome outfits too. Nothing says love wins like some fluffy rainbow socks!
And praise the lord, there’s no more ban on same-sex marriage – angel wings.
A yellow tu-tu? Why not?
Pride also came with plenty of displays of affection. These two gals stole away from the crowd for a smoke … and a little mild petting.
But mostly, Saturday night was all about the parade.
There were members of the “religious left” showing up as allies. Even hardcore biker gangs.
Members of the LGBT community and their allies took over Central Ave. in the Grand Central District for an evening and they came in all shapes and sizes. Never has a group been more diverse with young and old gay and straight or trans and cis-gender.
Uncle Sam didn’t let what looks like nearly a century of experience under his belt stop him from showing his pride.
And this little girl decked herself out in rainbows showing a growing acceptance of a group once considered “alternative.”
If you didn’t show up dressed for the occasion, never fear, plenty of discarded accessories were floating around – like this fuzzy, rainbow mustache.
That mustache is the only thing that would have gone with this guy’s awesome hat and cape.
… or these parade-marchers tu-tus.
As hundreds of groups marched from Georgie’s Alibi on 3 Avenue North and 31 Street, onlookers gathered by the thousands.The roar from screaming LGBT individuals and allies was deafening.
It was all about the beads. Seriously, it’s amazing how crazy people go over hunks of plastic that break in five minutes.
This dog showed up.
Even the infamous blue bin made a cameo. Ironically, the parade most impacted the Historic Kenwood neighborhood.
Homes there are among the 40 percent in the city with ally access. Residents stopped being angry about having to haul the bins to the curb rather than ally to do stuff like this to their homes.
And they didn’t seem to mind their streets being taken over by outsiders searching for an elusive parking space.
Happy Pride!
