As the clock struck 12 on Saturday afternoon at the Gainesville Pride Festival, members of the pride community were already walking confidently into Bo Diddley Plaza.
With a full eight-hour day of representation ahead of them, festival participants already seemed to be bursting with joy. The smell of hot oaky oil from the food trucks and the sound of the pride flags flapping in the wind served as a backdrop for the event.
Organizers said the annual festival, which is in its 20th year, attracts over 5,000 people and has become a major part of the ever-growing Gainesville Pride community. Pride normally begins in the hot summer month of June.
Dex Lewis, vice president of the Pride Community Center, said he helps to coordinate the event so it falls a little bit closer around the colder months. This way, more people can attend and stay longer, he said.
“Around Pride, it can be hot in Gainesville," Lewis said. "But it is unique, vibrant, and we’re a resilient community. Local Pride events highlight how interconnected we are under one shared umbrella of support."
As a community leader and advocate, Lewis is no stranger to bringing folks together.
“Gainesville Pride is special because it acts as a beacon of safety, affirmation, and protection,” Lewis said. “Especially for younger people, it is deeply personal. Showing up tells them you are seen, you are valued and you belong here.”
This energy could be felt throughout Saturday’s event. Bo Diddley Plaza seemed to become increasingly louder as different individuals who all share a different story but the same purpose continued to gather.
“I think today specifically is just a reminder that with everything that’s going on, we still come out here, and we are ready to represent who we are as a community and people,” said Anastasia Ali Brandy, a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Brandy said she’s been going to Pride events since her junior year of high school and loves how small the area of Gainesville is. She said that even though this event is big, she still feels safe and surrounded by people with whom she can identify.
“It’s scary at first, but once you’re here, I think it’s good,” said Brandy. “You feel safe and it starts to feel like family.”
While attendees such as Brandy said they came to find community, various vendors came with the purpose to offer support through the work.
Rebecca Anderson-Orlowski, a local Gainesville vendor, owns Beki Makes Things. She sells rhinestone art, hand-dyed clothing and glitter tumblers. Anderson-Orlowski describes herself as an individual who wants to support her community through her art.
“As an ally, it’s important for me to use my voice for anybody else. I am here to support everybody that doesn’t necessarily have a certain place,” Anderson-Orlowski said. “I was just born into that, it is important to me.”
Describing her booth as “sassy and snarky,” Anderson-Orlowski said she believes her work demonstrates boldness that caters to a bold community.
This spirit of connection is what Aldo Garza, the president of the Pride Community Center and organizer of the Gainesville Pride festival, said brings people together every year.
Garza said he believes the event is more than just one day of festivities, but about showing up when it really matters to do a little bit of celebrating.
He said Saturday was for honoring and rising up against the backlash toward the community.
“In our community, this fight is a little bit special,” Garza said. ”We’re still here, we’re still queer, and we’re here to stay.”
