Denton, Texas residents Clea Christian, 53, left, and Kayla Christian, 16, browse a booth during the Dallas Pride Festival of Rainbows June 6 at Pacific Plaza in Dallas. The two enjoy pride as a time to express themselves and support each other.
DALLAS – Rainbow streamers danced overhead, Pride flags waved unapologetically through the crowds and vendor booths overflowed with colorful merchandise sharing messages of love and acceptance in downtown Dallas for the Festival of Rainbows on Saturday.
The event came to life as Dallas Pride worked with Downtown Dallas, Inc. and the city to strengthen, support and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout the event, attendees enjoyed a main stage with entertainers, DJs, food vendors and drag performers as well as arts and craft vendors.
While hundreds gathered to celebrate Pride, one familiar Arlington event will be notably absent this June.
Dallas resident Charzaye Alexander, 21, left, Rowlett, Texas, resident Gabrielle Green, 23, and Cedar Hill, Texas, resident Alicia Green, 23, right, browse a booth during the Dallas Pride Festival of Rainbows June 6 at Pacific Plaza in Dallas. The trio said they appreciate the energy and resources that the festival provides.
Event organizers of Arlington Pride, the annual festival which has drawn thousands to Levitt Pavilion in recent years, announced that this year’s event is canceled after four years of celebration. According to the Arlington Pride website, the decision followed the Arlington City Council’s vote to lessen protections under the city’s antidiscrimination ordinance.
For some North Texas residents, the cancellation led to seeking other places to celebrate Pride this year.
Arlington, Texas, resident Venn Dedwylder, 19, said she celebrated Pride in Arlington for the past two years. Following the event’s cancellation she and her partner, Denton, Texas, resident Jackson Garratt, 19, came to celebrate in Dallas.
Festival-goers gather during the Dallas Pride Festival of Rainbows June 6 which spanned Main Street Garden Park, Pacific Plaza, Harwood Park and Pegasus Plaza. Attendees celebrated LGBTQ+ pride with live entertainment and community activities.
“It is sad not going to Arlington Pride, because this is my first Pride, and I’ve heard such great things about Arlington Pride, and that’s why I wanted to come to this,” Garratt said.
Even with Arlington Pride canceled, Dedwylder and Garratt said it’s important to have a place to meet like-minded people that they would not usually be able to talk to.
“In today’s society, people aren’t outwardly gay, so it’s nice to come somewhere where everyone is and you can feel the community,” Dedwylder said.
Dallas resident Nicholaus Rainey, 34, left, argues with protestor John Delaney during the Dallas Pride Festival of Rainbows June 6 at Main Street Garden Park. Rainey said negative approaches to Pride are counterproductive and harmful.
Denton, Texas resident Sage Alday, 19, has been openly lesbian for almost five years and brought her best friend, Denton, Texas resident Ethan Bond, 17, to the event because she wanted him to experience it for the first time.
“I wanted to see real queer people, not just the people at school or people online, actual real individuals who just don’t care, because they’re here,” Bond said.
As music echoed through the crowd, families could be found enjoying the celebration together.
Singer Yolanda Cruz performs on stage during the Dallas Pride Festival of Rainbows June 6 at Pacific Plaza in Dallas. Cruz draws inspiration from her Latin and queer identities to create music.
Keller, Texas, resident Linda Jackson, 59, has been attending Dallas Pride for seven years.
For Jackson, whose rainbow ensemble included colorful shoes, vibrant pants, a Pride shirt, rainbow bracelets and a hat with two Pride flags fluttering above the crowd, the event was about supporting those who may not live in an accepting environment.
“I’ve known many people that had a home life that wasn’t accepted, and I opened my doors to them, and this is sort of like a huge opening of doors,” she said.
Surrounded by a sea of rainbow flags, Jackson brought along her son, daughter and her daughter’s wife to enjoy the day of festivities.
Festival-goers browse a booth during the Dallas Pride Festival of Rainbows June 6 at Main Street Garden Park. The event showcased booths with vendors, companies and mental health resources.
Jackson was not alone in making Pride a family celebration. Across the festival grounds, groups of relatives and friends gathered beneath rainbow banners, using the event as an opportunity to celebrate community and connection.
Springtown, Texas, resident Janet Slovak, 65, has been celebrating Pride since she was in her 20s, and shared her first Dallas Pride celebration with her wife, brother and sister-in-law, she said.
“There’s people who are straight that come out here that support the gay community. I think everybody supports everybody. Everybody needs to get along,” Slovak said. “This is one world, one Earth. Let’s all be kind and helping up one another.”
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