Thousands of people crowded onto Colfax and around Denver's Civic Center Park to watch the parade and participate in the festivities for Denver's 50th anniversary of Pridefest on June 23. The vibrant celebration was not just a historical marker for organizers, but a celebration of acceptance and joy.
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A spectator shouts "Work that jellyfish!" to marchers holding aloft jellyfish balloons on Colfax Avenue. Organizers estimated 100,000 attended the 50th annual Pride Parade, which included 280 entrants and 17,000 marchers.
Sonya Doctorian / KUNC
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CHEER Colorado breaks formation during the Denver Pride Parade Sunday morning on Colfax Avenue. The cheerleaders created formations throughout 14 blocks of the parade, despite the 90-degree heat. CHEER Colorado is a volunteer-led non-profit organization that works to strengthen the Colorado LGBTQIA+ community.
Sonya Doctorian / KUNC
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DENVER, CO: Exuberant Southwest Airlines marchers spell out "Pride" during the Denver Pride Parade Sunday morning on Colfax Avenue.
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Denver Pride Parade Grand Marshal Christopher "Christi Layne" Sloan takes in the cheers of the crowd lining Colfax Avenue Sunday morning. Sloan, an LGBTQ+ activist and drag queen, applied for a permit in 1976 for the first pride parade in Denver.
Sonya Doctorian / KUNC
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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston high-fives the crowd as he marches with City of Denver representatives. The 50th annual Denver Pride Parade was held Sunday morning on Colfax Avenue.
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Kamilah Bugarin of Longmont attends her first Denver Pride Parade. "I loved it," she said. "It was so much fun."
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Lucas Taylor (left) and Quinn London attended their first Denver Pride Parade. The couple carry transgender flags.
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Inspired by musician Chappell Roan's fashion, Elora Probyn of Colorado Springs cheers for marchers in the Denver Pride Parade. Their friend, Megan Snyder, (left) flew in from Cleveland, OH, for the parade. She's also wearing her version of Chappell Roan style.
Sonya Doctorian / KUNC
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Desirea Chambers and a friend drove from Vail to attend their first Denver Pride Parade. "I frickin' love it," she said.
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Sam Jividen (left) and Terry Hinton wear their Pride couple socks to the Pride parade. They took the California Zephyr train from San Francisco to celebrate Sam's 38th birthday.
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Sam Jividen (left) and Terry Hinton from San Francisco attended their first Denver Pride Parade. "It's awesome. I'm impressed with the scale of it," Sam said. "It rivals San Francisco's, but it's more family friendly." San Francisco's Pride festival starts next weekend, June 29.
Sonya Doctorian
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Wearing a samba headdress, Madisson Bednark (CQ) marched in the Pride Parade with the Bella Diva World Dance Studio of south Denver. The group has performed at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
Sonya Doctorian / KUNC
The photography in this story is funded by the Reflecting Colorado Photo Desk grant. KUNC, with support from the Colorado Media Project, aims to diversify visual storytelling by showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of the Centennial State. The Photo Desk project is a step towards embracing digital innovation and fostering inclusivity in storytelling.