Thousands gather for Utah Pride Parade with messages of hope, unity

SALT LAKE CITY — Music blared and participants cheered as families, parents, teenagers and children wore rainbow-colored shirts, sported signs with company slogans and resources, tied flags around their necks as capes, wore rainbow hats, and danced in the streets during the Utah Pride Festival's parade Sunday.

There were between 40,000 and 50,000 spectators, with 16,000 marching in the parade itself, according to Chad Call, a spokesman for the Utah Pride Center — a number of participants that barely exceeded the prior year's performance.

"I just love how welcoming the community is. You walk through the streets and everybody's just smiling, and everybody's dancing — and it's honestly the happiest you've ever seen Salt Lake City," paradegoer Heather Berrett said. "And everybody's just so full of love; it's amazing to watch."

Avery Miller, another participant at the parade, said the way the community gathers together creates a sense of safety.

"I love that there's a sense of unity, like there's so much love, and there's so much diversity, too. There's so many different kinds of people," Miller said. "Especially in light of everything that's going on in the world today, it's really fun to have an event where you have a safe space for just a minute."

Nan Osborne, a volunteer marching with Encircle Together, an LGBTQ+ resource center for youth, noted how when her daughter came out, it helped her realize the need to always be learning how to best be an ally to the community, especially as a parent.

"In my experience, the very first step is to get over being sad," Osborne said, noting how important it was for her to show support to her daughter.

Now, Osborne and her husband volunteer at Encircle to help other youth feel loved. Queer joy, she said, is important for younger members of the LGBTQ+ community.

"I think gathering together really helps promote community," Osborne said. "We moved to Utah last year just in time to come to this parade, and we've never seen a parade like it in our whole lives."

Participants walk during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday. (Photo: Ryan Sun, Deseret News)

Along with the participants' and marchers' shouts of joy, other cries intermingled in with the paradegoers. There was a small section of protesters — some waving flags and signs of their own. Spectators used rainbow umbrellas and cheers to block out any of the signs or chants the protesters called.

"We wanted to do what we could because not everyone has the strength to stand up," said Memphis Haven, a participant holding a rainbow umbrella. "If we can, we have to protect those who can't protect themselves."

But despite some angry chants, spectators' spirits did not seem to be dulled.

Ghost Jensen, another participant holding a rainbow umbrella, noted the joy of attending a pride parade for the first time.

"It feels amazing," Jensen said, grinning with a voice barely audible over the protesters' screams. "I love it; I'm so happy right now."

A group of police officers stood to the side of the protesters. According to Call, security had been carefully planned to best protect the paradegoers.

"We do have those strong safety plans put into place with our local police department and Salt Lake City Police Department. And they of course do their normal counterterrorism monitoring throughout this weekend to monitor the threat levels," Call said.

And the department didn't just provide protection — it marched in the parade itself.

"As the largest law enforcement agency in the state of Utah, we're glad to be here," Salt Lake police spokesman Brent Weisberg said. "Every day we are out supporting, protecting and helping support this community."

Weisberg added how important it is to prevent hate crimes and biased incidents through education and reporting.

"If you believe that you've been a victim or a survivor of a hate crime or of a biased incident, call us — let us know, because not only is it important to investigate those, it's also important that we provide resources," he said.

The LGBTQ Pride flag is seen past Scott and Lynne Barrett, during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday. (Photo: Ryan Sun, Deseret News)

Hannah Romney, a crowned Miss Davis County and participant in the parade, also added how as a queer woman herself, the events help create hope amid other community backlash.

"Because there are so many hardships and so many things in our legislation that is coming through, when we gather together as a community, something beautiful happens," Romney said.

Call added that with increased anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, Utah Pride Center's events can both garner love for the community and encourage education to those who may still be learning.

"We're really hopeful and optimistic at this event and many others like it can bring awareness and transparency to the needs of the trans community, and the queer community at large — especially with everything that's been happening recently," Call said. "We're really hopeful that it gives some visibility and also some celebration and a safe place for those individuals in our community."

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