Rainbows and respect bring thousands out for Pride in the Park

It was rainbows, rainbows everywhere and not a frown in sight at MoPRIDE’s annual Pride in the Park celebration Saturday.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride celebration at Graceada Park brought out a strong and steady crowd to browse vendor and information booths, watch live entertainment and generally enjoy the day together. Pride chairman Jo Sisemore said last year 3,000 came out to the event and this year organizers hoped to be on track for more than 4,000 by day’s end.

The event also served as a launch for the nonprofit group’s new LGBT pride center, which they hope to have up and running in downtown Modesto by Nov. 1. The new office will offer support groups, resources and more to the Central Valley LGBT community.

“It’s helping people in the Central Valley who perhaps didn’t know this existed in our area,” said MoPRIDE board member Elena Carrillo.

This is also the first year MoPRIDE Inc. has partnered with other groups to put on a weekend’s worth of events. Festivities began Friday night with the Spectrum Street Faire hosted by Cafe Deva and Laser Voodoo. They will continue Sunday with the Pride in the Park Morning After Party hosted by the State Theatre. The latter will include brunch, mimosas and a screening of “The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of The Desert.”

Pride in the Park included everything from community and state nonprofit and health groups handing out information to local gay bars handing out rainbow-covered tchotchkes. Families and groups of teenagers roamed the area. A group of students from the Enoch High School Gay-Straight Alliance adorned themselves in rainbow-themed flags and balloons.

Fifteen-year-old Kiran Grandison said she was there to support the GSA.

“Something like this means we’re being fair and respectful to everyone,” she said.

Lynn Valdez of the wedding event planning company It’s A Magical Moment said she joined Pride in the Park after taking part in Merced’s first-ever pride celebration in August. Valdez runs the business with her wife, and they were offering impromptu ceremonies and general little wedding care packets to passersby.

“Everybody is happy and spirits are high. I think it’s a great day,” Valdez said.

This story was originally published October 1, 2016 at 5:47 PM with the headline "Rainbows and respect bring thousands out for Pride in the Park."