Denver’s annual PrideFest returns to Civic Center Park this weekend – with a spotlight on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender military veterans and service members.
This year’s theme is ‘These Colors Don’t Run’ – celebrating the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ signed earlier this year by President Barack Obama.
“It’s such a huge step forward for LGBT Americans, saying that they can now defend America,” says former Air Force Major and Iraq war veteran Mike Almy. He served for 13 years in the Air Force, but says he was forced to leave under the DADT policy, after a colleague stumbled across private email messages to his friends and family.
Almy will serve as one of the grand marshals of the PrideFest parade, along with other members of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an advocacy group supporting LGBT military personnel. The parade kicks off at 9:30 Sunday morning from Cheeseman Park.
This is the 35th year for Denver PrideFest, and organizers are expecting roughly 300,000 people. The festival features a number of events including vendor booths, dancing and live music.
