Spokane’s Pride Parade celebrates its 25th year with thousands of spectators
The streets of downtown Spokane were awash in rainbows Saturday as thousands turned out for the 25th annual Pride Parade.
The crowds lining the short parade route were vocal, cheering loudly each time a new group walked by. Some parade participants and watchers were dressed in costumes. Others wore rainbow shirts, rainbow socks or rainbow shoes while waving rainbow flags. There was even a horse wearing a rainbow saddle blanket.
Chelsea Stone wore a black outfit with fishnet stockings and large silver wings – and she was on stilts. She was part of the group that brought up the rear of the parade. With years of experience with various performance groups, she has a lot of practice at stilt walking.
“Everyone loves a stilt walker,” she said. “It’s the best view in the parade. Why not?”
This year was her first time in the parade and she was enjoying the block-party atmosphere, but that wasn’t her only reason for being there.
“I’m supporting my friends who found there was no script for their love,” she said. “I’m proud of Spokane for having this big of a parade.”
People carried signs with messages of support and love. One person marched with a sign that said, “Hate won’t make America great.”
It was a different experience from the inaugural march in 1992 that attracted about 450 people, some of whom traveled from Seattle to participate. Then, many participants who spoke to a Spokesman-Review reporter refused to give their names because they were afraid of losing their jobs or being “out” in the community.
There was no official crowd estimate given for Saturday’s parade, but the sidewalks were packed and the parade itself had hundreds of people walking in the streets.
Elizabeth Natseway, who recently moved to the area from Dallas, attended the parade to show support for her gay son, even though he still lives in Dallas.
“I miss my son,” she said. “This kind of makes me feel a little closer to him.”
Fewer than a dozen protesters were in a fenced-off area along the parade route, shouting anti-gay messages through a megaphone. For the most part those watching the parade ignored them, cheering loudly as the parade wound by.
After the parade ended and many people made their way to the Rainbow Festival in Riverfront Park’s Gondola Meadow, a band that had been in the parade set up next to the protesters. They played music and chanted “Hey, hey, ho, ho, homophobia has got to go” as several police officers stood nearby.
But most people seemed more interested in checking out the food, music, information booths and petting zoo in the Rainbow Festival, where both gay and straight couples strolled through the meadow holding hands.