COLUMBUS – In its 38th year, the Columbus Pride Festival shows no sign of slowing down as it adds events and participants to what was already one of the largest LGBTQ pride events in the nation.
About 500,000 people are expected to crowd downtown Columbus this weekend for the two-day festival at Bicentennial Park and Genoa Park on the Scioto riverfront.
Columbus Pride Festival & Parade presented by Stonewall Columbus
Friday, 4:00 p.m. – 11p.m. – Trans March, Ohio Statehouse, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – Parade step-off at Poplar and High streets
11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Festival, Bicentennial Park and Genoa Park
Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Pride Brunch
Columbus police are taking safety at the event seriously following disturbance at festivals in Washington, D.C., and Detroit earlier this month.
“The number one issue we have is that everyone feels safe, feels secure while they’re there, and that, while they’re there, they really enjoy themselves,” Lt. Nick Konves said.
Konves promised increased patrols and a higher police profile over the weekend. Bike patrols, mounted units, plainclothes officers and Homeland Security personnel will be deployed throughout the festival and parade grounds and routes.
“There’s a good chance you will bump into an officer and not even know that you bumped into an officer,” Konves said.
By texting “PRIDE” to 888-777, attendees can receive safety and informational updates from police and Stonewall Columbus. Incidents or emergencies should still be reported to 911.
Fewer than 200 people showed up for the first Pride Festival, held in 1981, but the event has become one of the top 10 festivals in the country and continues to grow. Saturday’s parade will feature 13,000 marchers, compared with 8,000 last year, and the festival has added a Trans March at the Statehouse Friday night, A.J. Casey of Stonewall Columbus said.
In Cincinnati, a brewery is dedicating a limited release beer to that city’s pride festival.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Moerlein Lager House is releasing the beer, called “Stonewalled,” as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, considered a turning point in the LGBTQ rights movement.
The 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots is the theme for this year’s WorldPride and Cincinnati Pride festivities.
A portion of the beer’s sales at a special keg tapping event Friday evening at Moerlein Lager House will be donated to Cincinnati Pride.